LIONEL Messi struck twice in Barcelona’s 4-2 win over Mallorca, taking him to 72 goals for the calendar year, one better than Pele’s mark.

Xavi Hernandez, Messi and Cristian Tello got first-half goals for the Catalans before Victor Casadesus and Michael Pereira reduced the lead after the interval.

Messi then hit his fifteenth in the league to wrap up the game and make it 76 goals now in 2012, beating Pele’s tally of 75 from 1958 and taking him to within nine of Gerd Muller’s all time record total of 85 set in 1972.

The win increases Barca’s lead to six points at the top, ahead of games for Atletico and Real Madrid, who sit 2nd and 3rd, later on Sunday.

Barca made five changes from the side that had lost 2-1 to Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday, with Gerard Pique, Cesc Fabregas, Sergio Busquets, David Villa and Tello all starting.

The visitors began slowly and Mallorca enjoyed the better early chances.

Barca keeper Valdes was alert to tip wide a header from Israeli international Tomer Hemed on 22 minutes.
However, five minutes later Barca were ahead when Xavi curled a perfect free-kick over the defensive wall after Jose Luis Marti fouled Fabregas on the left edge of the area.

Mallorca centre-half Pedro Geromel saved an almost certain second on 34 minutes when a Tello cross was about to find Villa in front of an open goal.
Barca were now on top and looking to add to their lead and did so on 43 minutes when Messi went on a run and hit a well struck shot – though Dudu Aouate in the Mallorca goal should have done better than allow the ball to squirm out of his hands and into the net.

A minute later and Tello controlled a pass on the left-wing before cutting inside and unleashing a right-footed drive that went across Aouate and into the far corner.

continue at http://www.rosemarynkblog.com/lionel-messi-beats-peles-goals-record/

Messi is a beast.that guy has no rival in football history.

This just proves that Messi is the best.

third to comment

Messi please retire,so it would be easier for my son to break your record because with the way you are going it just makes it harder.

Pele go dey vex big time.

[size=18pt]Gerd Müller's record is next![/size]

k2039: Messi please retire,so it would be easier for my son to break your record because with the way you are going it just makes it harder.

Pele go dey vex big time.

phreakabit: [size=18pt]Gerd Müller's record is next![/size]

UR HEAD IS DIA.........9 GOALS MORE N DATS IT!!!!!!!!!

D REAL RECORD BREAKER

k2039: Messi please retire,so it would be easier for my son to break your record because with the way you are going it just makes it harder.

Pele go dey vex big time.

You mean my son will set the next record..

thatz gud, CR7 Senior d him same days CR7 jnr senior messi jnr...

Were is MAMA GEE.

Messi is a legend nt cannot be compared with any one @ d moment

I hope Pele would now stop bad-mouthing Messi.... Agbaya oshi

Messi is a legend in football history and he cannot be compared with any one @ d moment

Remind me what record c ronaldo is chasing again? Oh yes; the 8th highest goal scorer in real madrid's history....

Story, with d way dat Laliga is, CR 7 go soon break him own. Na free goals dem dey score. I just don't see hw a league will be about just 2 players and dia teams.

Simply sensational! Who says he is not the best footballer of all time. He has shattered most football records and looks good enough to beat Mueller's record. It is almost certain he'll win the ballon d'or yet again. It might take another century for someone else to break these records. The beauty of it all is that he is so humble and unassuming.

chukxy44: Story, with d way dat Laliga is, CR 7 go soon break him own. Na free goals dem dey score. I just don't see hw a league will be about just 2 players and dia teams.

You mean the same league that has Athletico Madrid that disgraced Chelsea and also the league that has Bilbao that disgrace Man United home and away? wake up, there's nothing bad with the defenders, just that Messi is just too good, if you doubt me, ask Leverkusen and co.

Messi is Illuminati...

pellegrini1989:

Messi then hit his fifteenth in the league to wrap up the game and make it 76 goals now in 2012, beating Pele’s tally of 75 from 1958 and taking him to within nine of Gerd Muller’s all time record total of 85 set in 1972.

continue at http://www.rosemarynkblog.com/lionel-messi-beats-peles-goals-record/

Lionel Messi is very GOOD, no doubt! Extremely Good footballer.
[b]
..But "IF" Pele had the benefit of "rules and incessant Penalty for diving" that Barca and Messi have today, ....in the days of Pele, we wont be talking about anyone equaling his goal tally in the next TWO LIVES!

Any player that could score a single goal in those days of "[size=14pt]rampant double-legged tackles and unbridled elbowing[/size]", would score ten in every match, in todays "over-protective" football.

Dont even compare Pele to Messi, they dont live or play in the same "game" or "era". True that!

Lastpage!

Messi is the god of soccer, more records to break. I hear say that Barcelona done sign him pikin.

That guy is a football lord.

Merciless Messi! I dey hail the guy

Messi is good no daught abt wit

I am not a football fan at all but permit me to say that it is surpirsing that after all these years and despite the increase in football activites, no one has beat Pele till now, and just one person!

chukxy44: Story, with d way dat Laliga is, CR 7 go soon break him own. Na free goals dem dey score. I just don't see hw a league will be about just 2 players and dia teams.

la liga isn't just about 2 teams. athletico madrid just walloped chelsea 4-1 and Athletico bilbao beat utd home and away. Try harder.

shadrach77: third to comment

.pls can someone tell me the benefits of been the 1st,2nd,or 3rd to comment.pls

emmke: Remind me what record c ronaldo is chasing again? Oh yes; the 8th highest goal scorer in real madrid's history....

lol... But you have to factor in the fact that Madrid's is a more robust history.

lastpage:

Lionel Messi is very GOOD, no doubt! Extremely Good footballer.

..But "IF" Pele had the benefit of "rules and incessant Penalty for diving" that Barca and Messi have today, ....in the days of Pele, we wont be talking about anyone equaling his goal tally in the next TWO LIVES!

Any player that could score a single goal in those days of "[size=14pt]rampant double-legged tackles and unbridled elbowing[/size]", would score ten in every match, in todays "over-protective" football.

Dont even compare Pele to Messi, they dont live or play in the same "game" or "era". True that!

Lastpage!

So messi dives, U must be watching the back of T.V. Pele would not even score half of the goals he scored then now because of the 'Offside rule' imagine if there was no Offside messi wld score 300 goals in a season. Pele is an Overrated Old fool, FIFA puppet whose Obssession 4 messi would definitely send him to his early grave!!!

Whobedatte: So messi dives, U must be watching the back of T.V. Pele would not even score half of the goals he scored then now because of the 'Offside rule' imagine if there was no Offside messi wld score 300 goals in a season. Pele is an Overrated Old fool, FIFA puppet whose Obssession 4 messi would definitely send him to his early grave!!!

lol.... If being a 'puppet' would make me score 1281 career goals, win 3 World Cup Titles.... I wanna be a puppet.

lastpage:

Lionel Messi is very GOOD, no doubt! Extremely Good footballer.

..But "IF" Pele had the benefit of "rules and incessant Penalty for diving" that Barca and Messi have today, ....in the days of Pele, we wont be talking about anyone equaling his goal tally in the next TWO LIVES!

Any player that could score a single goal in those days of "[size=14pt]rampant double-legged tackles and unbridled elbowing[/size]", would score ten in every match, in todays "over-protective" football.

Dont even compare Pele to Messi, they dont live or play in the same "game" or "era". True that!

Lastpage!

Pele was never the highest goal scorer in a world cup tournament 2. He was never the highest goal scorer @ any point in time in the history of the world cup, despite winning 3 world cup. His achievement was simply exaggerrated by fifa. His most goals were scored in friendlies, exhibition matches where brazil would wallop a team 23-0 and pele would score 20goals. Gerd Muller of germany deserves more accolades than Pele