Ronaldo and Messi have always been the objects of comparison in the football world. Messi is a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, and Ronaldo is a five-time Ballon d’Or winner. The two have very different styles. In fact, Messi and Ronaldo do not need to be compared. Both superstars are shining in football, and both have glorious records that are recorded in the annals of history.
Today we’re going to talk about the 5 Guinness records you might not know about Messi.
- #1 Footballer with the most appearances on video game covers
I believe that when many people see this title, the first thing that comes to mind must be Ronaldo. But on the contrary, the record holder is Messi. Lionel Messi is the footballer with the most appearances on the cover of the game, with 10 times, more than his opponent Ronaldo’s 9 times.
Multiple gaming franchises have thrown their image into their product covers in a nod to Lionel Messi. These include PES 2009, PES 2010, PES 2011, FIFA Street, FIFA13, FIFA14, FIFA15, FIFA16, PES 17, and PES 18.
- #2 Most Goals scored by a substitute in a Copa America Match
On June 10, 2016, Messi was substituted in the 61st minute against Panama at Soldier Field in Illinois, USA. By this time, Argentina had taken a 1-0 lead, thanks to Otamendi‘s goal in the 7th minute.
Messi then found the goal in just seven minutes and scored the team’s second goal. In the 78th minute, Messi scored his second goal of the game and the team’s third goal.
Unexpectedly, after 9 minutes, he completed the hat trick. Argentina won the game 5-0, and Messi, as a substitute for the game, scored three of the five goals the team won. As a result, he became the most goals scored from the bench in a single Copa America game.
- #3. Foreign player with most goals/appearances in La Liga/Barcelona
Lionel Messi made his first La Liga appearance as a Barcelona player in the 2004/05 season. According to the statistics of the Argentine Football Federation, as of January 4, 2020, the foreign player who has scored the most goals in La Liga is Messi. Since then, Messi has made 427 consecutive appearances, scoring 390 goals and assisting 167 times. This record can be said to be truly unprecedented!
- #4. Youngest Player to score 50 Goals in the Champions League
On April 3, 2012, Messi scored a goal in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final against AC Milan at the Camp Nou, which Barcelona won 3-1. The Argentine has scored 12 goals that season, and when he scored from the penalty spot in the 11th minute, Messi scored his 50th career Champions League goal.
Apart from that, Messi has other records in that game. In the 41st minute, Messi scored his second goal of the night, tying Jose Altafini’s single-season championship record of 14 goals set by Jose Altafini for Milan in 1962/63.
- #5. Player with the most hat-tricks in La Liga
In history, there is such a player who has completed 34 hat-tricks, and he is Ronaldo. But on December 7, 2019, Lionel Messi surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 34 with 35 hat-tricks in Barcelona’s 5-2 win over Mallorca.
