When all is said and done, and those fortunate Barcelona fans who piled into the Nou Camp to watch Lionel Messi week after week are no longer with us to laud his brilliance, the little Argentine's numbers will do all the talking necessary.
Messi put two past Real Sociedad on Sunday in his 768th game for the club, and in so doing passed Xavi's appearance record, having equalled the Spanish great's tally last Tuesday against Huesca.
Messi's breaking of records has become a feat of such regularity that the shine, as a result, is taken away from the achievement.
Here, Sportsmail takes a statistical look behind Lionel Messi's mind-boggling impact at Barcelona.
Messi has been cast among the greatest players to ever grace the game, and the Argentine's 663 goals for Barcelona is the most ever scored by a player for one club - having passed Pele's record of 643 goals for Santos earlier this season.
He is far and away LaLiga's record goalscorer, firing in 467 goals in the league. He is second only Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of Champions League goals, trailing his great rival's 134 goals with 120.
Messi has been awarded the Pichichi trophy, the prize given in Spain to the league's top scorer, on seven occasions and top-scored in the Champions League six times, including the 2014-15 campaign when he shared the honour with Ronaldo and former team-mate Neymar.
Messi shares the record for Champions League goals scored in separate seasons with Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs.
Both have scored in 16 different campaigns, although Messi has done so in consecutive years dating back to 2005-06.
Messi has maintained a sensational goals-to-games ratio throughout his career, but few will ever match his efforts from the 2011-12 season, when he scored 73 times in 60 games for Barca in all competitions. Those figures remain an astonishingly high water mark.
The 33-year-old has passed 50 goals in a season on no fewer than five other occasions, with four more campaigns in the 40s and over 30 in every completed season since 2008-09.
He is on the verge of reaching over 30 again, having scored 29 goals in all competitions for Ronald Koeman's side so far this term.
In total, Messi has scored 48 hat-tricks for Barcelona, with 36 of those coming in LaLiga. His six hat-tricks for Argentina takes him over the half-century mark for his career as a whole.
The Argentine has bagged four goals in a single game on six separate occasions. Those came in league games against Valencia, Espanyol, Osasuna and twice against Eibar, while he also hit a quadruple against Arsenal in a Champions League tie back in 2010.
Messi has also secured one five-goal haul in his career, when he helped Barca to a 7-1 win against Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16 second leg of the Champions League in 2012.
Look away now, Valencia fans, because Messi enjoys playing against you. They have been on the receiving end of four of Messi's hat tricks.
Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid have shipped three hat tricks against Messi, as have Sevilla, Osasuna, Espanyol and Deportiva La Coruna.
Messi has also notched braces on a further 133 occasions, 95 of which have come in LaLiga which, unsurprisingly, is a league record.
As impressive as the unfathomable tally of goals are, Messi has ensured those strikes have resulted in prizes. The Argentine holds a superb collection of trophies.
In total, Messi has won 33 major trophies with the Catalonians, when including domestic and European super cups, as well as the Club World Cup.
Barcelona have lifted the LaLiga title in 10 of the 17 seasons since Messi made his first team bow, alongside six Copa del Rey triumphs and four domestic doubles.
An additional seven Supercopa wins takes Messi's haul to 23 honours in Spain - although Barca have actually won eight since the Argentine broke into the team, as he did not play in the two-leg 2005 win over Real Betis.
Messi has another 10 continental and inter-continental honours, with Barcelona winning the Champions League in 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2015. He has also won the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup in the resulting seasons of the '08, '11 and '15 triumphs.
When compared with his closest rival Ronaldo, Messi's Ballon d'Or superiority puts him ahead of the Portuguese sensation.
Messi has won the Ballon d'Or, awarded to the world's best player, on six occasions, including four in succession from 2009. Ronaldo, meanwhile has four.
While Messi's domestic successes will be difficult to top in years to come, the 33-year-old's exploits with his country are of stark contrast.
The Argentina trophy cabinet has been barren while Messi has played for the national side, containing just an Olympic gold medal from 2008.
He came close to winning the most coveted prize of all - the World Cup - but Argentina fell to a 1-0 defeat by Germany in the 2014 final in Brazil.
Aguerooooo10
1090
Players and Jersey you can never see them wearing on the pitch 💀
Angelus_Yesu
796
Those of Ronaldo fans trolling Messi that he is a one club man don't know what they are saying. Ronaldo has played in different clubs and succeeded, fine. We all know he has done well. But do you guys know what it takes to remain faithful to one club and perform consistently for all these years? When glories come, Messi is with Barcelona, when humiliations come, he is still with Barcelona. Do you know what it takes to do that? To endure in humiliations? If Messi left the club during humiliations, you the same people will troll him and say, for glories, he stayed but he couldn't endure in humiliations. Despite you claiming he's a one club man, he has more Balon d'or and Golden Boots than Ronaldo. Even when Ronaldo was in La Liga, he couldn't compete with Messi. So you guys should realise the truth and stop trolling the G.O.A.T. I rest my case.
AjibolaHabidemi
783
this is not a football goat but a club legend.
Vikkeembrain
663
Don’t hate
yetclmsy
556
Messi is the greatest player ever to play football G.O.A.T
citid
450
Messi has more goal contribution in 2021(23) than: Sevilla 22 , Spurs 22, Real Madrid 21 , Ac Malian 21, LewanGOALski 20, Chelsea 13, Haaland 13, Ronaldo 13, Liverpool 11, Mbappe 10.
Pasceklmr
365
he's just the best hate it or like it, there's no footballer like him, ask ex football players
Mia16
334
Let me say stats most people probably didn't know about Ronaldo 1.He has scored in every possible minute whether in the first minute or the 2nd and so forth 2. He's the first player to score in 6 consecutive El Clasico 3. He has the best goal per game ratio 4. In 2011/2012 season where Messi scored 91 goals, it was boosted by international fixtures, in that season's La Liga, Messi had 50 goals and Ronaldo 46 goals, moreover in all competitions, Ronaldo had up to 80 including international fixtures I'm not criticizing Messi, he's a good player but Ronaldo deserves praise, it's not really fair
thegreat1ne
320
answer me one question ronaldinho or Pele who is greater.pele goals won him multiple world cups and made him who he is today it's only stupid Barca fans that think assist and dribbles are more important than goals.... senseless
look at this you idiot
Nwokeoma34
230
All times GOATS are found here. any other goat is 4th to them. Messi is no1 all times GOAT in football, any other goat it second to him.
alimailah
88
The Goat
Darkestknight
13
this is not a football goat but a club legend.
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wuzadiprsy
13
Barcelona bought three of his barlon d’or so why would we be surprised they didn’t want him to leave
wat is preventing your shitty club to buy it for ronaldo if buying them was so easy😏
D10S_LM10
12
He still didn’t face Madrid or Atletico [Crylaugh]
[image]
He isn't waiting for Cagliari
D-Maestreo
11
Let me say stats most people probably didn't know about Ronaldo 1.He has scored in every possible minute whether in the first minute or the 2nd and so forth 2. He's the first player to score in 6 consecutive El Clasico 3. He has the best goal per game ratio 4. In 2011/2012 season where Messi scored 91 goals, it was boosted by international fixtures, in that season's La Liga, Messi had 50 goals and Ronaldo 46 goals, moreover in all competitions, Ronaldo had up to 80 including international fixtures I'm not criticizing Messi, he's a good player but Ronaldo deserves praise, it's not really fair
Messi has better goal to game ratio 😂
citid
10
Let me say stats most people probably didn't know about Ronaldo 1.He has scored in every possible minute whether in the first minute or the 2nd and so forth 2. He's the first player to score in 6 consecutive El Clasico 3. He has the best goal per game ratio 4. In 2011/2012 season where Messi scored 91 goals, it was boosted by international fixtures, in that season's La Liga, Messi had 50 goals and Ronaldo 46 goals, moreover in all competitions, Ronaldo had up to 80 including international fixtures I'm not criticizing Messi, he's a good player but Ronaldo deserves praise, it's not really fair
You know Penaldog is finish when his fans are stat padding.
citid
10
Dani Alves, Messi and Ronaldo have more trophies than Manchester City
Are you upset because Messi is involved in more goals than Penaldog?
bahheh
9
Players and Jersey you can never see them wearing on the pitch 💀
[image]
was confused a moment but I realized it [Crylaugh][Crylaugh][Crylaugh][Crylaugh]
suzadknpr
9
Those of Ronaldo fans trolling Messi that he is a one club man don't know what they are saying. Ronaldo has played in different clubs and succeeded, fine. We all know he has done well. But do you guys know what it takes to remain faithful to one club and perform consistently for all these years? When glories come, Messi is with Barcelona, when humiliations come, he is still with Barcelona. Do you know what it takes to do that? To endure in humiliations? If Messi left the club during humiliations, you the same people will troll him and say, for glories, he stayed but he couldn't endure in humiliations. Despite you claiming he's a one club man, he has more Balon d'or and Golden Boots than Ronaldo. Even when Ronaldo was in La Liga, he couldn't compete with Messi. So you guys should realise the truth and stop trolling the G.O.A.T. I rest my case.
Ronaldo has been shuffling amongst different clubs they say, but he has never gone to a struggling club. He goes only to clubs that have history with them already.
Mia16
9
Messi has more goal contribution in 2021(23) than: Sevilla 22 , Spurs 22, Real Madrid 21 , Ac Malian 21, LewanGOALski 20, Chelsea 13, Haaland 13, Ronaldo 13, Liverpool 11, Mbappe 10.
Dani Alves, Messi and Ronaldo have more trophies than Manchester City
suzadknpr
8
Those of Ronaldo fans trolling Messi that he is a one club man don't know what they are saying. Ronaldo has played in different clubs and succeeded, fine. We all know he has done well. But do you guys know what it takes to remain faithful to one club and perform consistently for all these years? When glories come, Messi is with Barcelona, when humiliations come, he is still with Barcelona. Do you know what it takes to do that? To endure in humiliations? If Messi left the club during humiliations, you the same people will troll him and say, for glories, he stayed but he couldn't endure in humiliations. Despite you claiming he's a one club man, he has more Balon d'or and Golden Boots than Ronaldo. Even when Ronaldo was in La Liga, he couldn't compete with Messi. So you guys should realise the truth and stop trolling the G.O.A.T. I rest my case.
Great comment my dear. You have said it all. Unfortunately, the blind won't see. They will search only for a somewhat clumsy nonsense to hang on as a defence. Messi is a Messiah, there is no doubt about it.
Darkestknight
8
check again with no.s and calculate the percentage. this is just a sample but the list is more
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fake af [Crylaugh][Crylaugh][Crylaugh][Crylaugh][Crylaugh]
nemciklmyz
8
It is not faithful he stayed at Barcelona because he was interested in Barcelona money if they didn’t renew his contract one year after one year he would have left long time
lies
D_ra
8
Let me say stats most people probably didn't know about Ronaldo 1.He has scored in every possible minute whether in the first minute or the 2nd and so forth 2. He's the first player to score in 6 consecutive El Clasico 3. He has the best goal per game ratio 4. In 2011/2012 season where Messi scored 91 goals, it was boosted by international fixtures, in that season's La Liga, Messi had 50 goals and Ronaldo 46 goals, moreover in all competitions, Ronaldo had up to 80 including international fixtures I'm not criticizing Messi, he's a good player but Ronaldo deserves praise, it's not really fair
!Breaking news! This is a Messi article. Thanks for reading.
GJGREGJO
8
Let me say stats most people probably didn't know about Ronaldo 1.He has scored in every possible minute whether in the first minute or the 2nd and so forth 2. He's the first player to score in 6 consecutive El Clasico 3. He has the best goal per game ratio 4. In 2011/2012 season where Messi scored 91 goals, it was boosted by international fixtures, in that season's La Liga, Messi had 50 goals and Ronaldo 46 goals, moreover in all competitions, Ronaldo had up to 80 including international fixtures I'm not criticizing Messi, he's a good player but Ronaldo deserves praise, it's not really fair
Messi has the best goal ratio kiddo?[Crylaugh][Crylaugh][Crylaugh]