BARCELONA: Leo Messi, by scoring twice in Barcelona’s 4-2 Liga win at Mallorca, reached 76 goals in all competitions to surprass the calendar year mark set by Pele in 1958 writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Pele, then still only 17 and a World Cup-winner for the first time in Sweden, scored 75 goals at various different representatives levels for Brazil and for his club, Santos, in Brazil’s domestic competitions. That was in the days before international club competitions had been launched in South America.

Messi, a father for the first time just over a week ago, had scored against either Celta Vigo or against Celtic in the Champions League in midweek.

The victory over Mallorca was Barcelona’s fourth in succession in La Liga. Xavi opened the score with a 28th-minute free kick and followed up with a second in the 43rd minute. One minute later youngster Cristian Tello claimed Barcelona’s third.

Pereira and Victor scored within 12 minutes of the start of the second half before Messi killed their revival with his second goal in the 69th minute.

The Argentinian needs 10 more goals to overtake the all-time calendar record of 85 goals which was set by West Germany and Bayern Munich’s centre-forward Gerd Muller in 1972.

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