Lionel Messi has had a truly illustrious football career, as the Paris Saint-Germain superstar has won every major honor, including multiple Champions League titles with Barcelona, or the World Cup for Argentina.
The only tournament Messi has entered without winning in his professional career is the French Cup, or he will have to wait at least until next season for that silver trophy, following Marseille’s win over PSG. in February.
However, since making his first team debut in 2004, Messi has amassed countless trophies and personal records. And even at the age of 35, he still has a series of important landmark achievements and a series of impressive records.
The titles in Messi’s career
Since turning professional 19 years ago, Messi has accumulated titles at an absurdly steady rate. In fact, the 2013-14 and 2019-2020 seasons are the only Messi without a career title (if you don’t count the Pichichi award for LaLiga’s top scorer, which he won in the 2019-2020 season). ).
Messi has brought many individual trophies over a long period of time for Barcelona. Photo: GETTY.
One of the most honored players in football, the Argentinian has taken home 40 major trophies at club and international level, just short of the record 46 held by former Barca team-mate Dani Alves. Messi’s longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo has only 34 titles.
Messi has won more major trophies with Barcelona (35) than any other player in the Catalan club’s 123-year history. That total includes 10 La Liga titles, eight Spanish Super Cups, seven Copa del Rey and four Champions Leagues (including the 2005-2006 season, when boy Messi made six appearances, with two kicks. in the round of 16 victory over Chelsea).
Messi added two more major club titles in his first season in France (winning Ligue 1 and Trophee des Champions) as well as an international hat trick with Argentina; CONMEBOL-UEFA Championship Cup (also known as Finalissima), Copa America and FIFA World Cup.
Messi’s first world championship trophy. Photo: GETTY.
The record held by Messi
Messi holds many personal records, worthy of his status as one of the greatest players of all time. He has won the Ballon d’Or seven times as the best player in the world, two more than Ronaldo, who is next on the list. No other player, male or female, has won it more than three times.
Messi is also the only player to win the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball award twice: first when he lost the 2014 final, and again after leading his country to glory at the tournament. year 2022.
In addition to being the most honored player at his former club, Messi is also Barca’s all-time goalscorer (672) and assists (778) after 17 years at the club.
The Argentine striker set many records while in Spain. Photo: GETTY.
He also holds the record for the total number of goals scored by any player in LaLiga (474) as well as the most goals scored in a single LaLiga season (50) after spending half a century on the season. 2011-2012.
It is also hard to believe that Messi holds the record for the most assists in his career in LaLiga (192) and the record for the most assists in a single season (21, in 2019-season). 20), thereby demonstrating his extraordinary value as a creative mind.
The former Barca striker has also scored more hat-tricks in his career in LaLiga (36) than any other player, as well as sharing the record for most hat-tricks in a single season (8, in 2011). -2012) with Ronaldo. 
Messi has won 7 Golden Balls, 2 more than Ronaldo. Photo: GETTY.
Messi’s untouchable form in 2012 also saw him set the record as the top scorer in a calendar year with 91 goals: 79 for Barca, 12 for Argentina.
He is also the top scorer in El Clasico matches between Barca and Real Madrid with 26 goals in 45 matches. Ronaldo is second with 18 goals (in 30 games) alongside Alfredo Di Stefano, the great compatriot of Madrid.
As another testament to Messi’s longevity and consistency, he has made more LaLiga appearances than any other foreign-born player (520) and has won more top league titles in Spain than any other non-Spanish-born player (10).
The striker of the country of Tango has won every major title in any team. Photo: GETTY.
While Ronaldo remains the Champions League’s all-time top scorer with 140 goals, Messi also holds the record for most hat-tricks in the tournament (8, equal to Ronaldo). He was the first player ever to score five goals in a Champions League match when he beat Bayer Leverkusen in the 2011-2012 round of 16.
Messi also holds the Champions League records for the most goals scored in the round of 16 (29 goals) and the most goals scored in the group stage (80), while Ronaldo holds the corresponding record for total goals scored in qualifying. direct (67), quarterfinals. (25), semi-final (13) and final (4).
The title race of Messi and Ronaldo has not ended at the old age. Photo: GETTY.
Lionel Messi holds the record for most home goals in the Champions League with 78 (Ronaldo holds the record for away goals with 63), and is the only player in the history of the tournament to score against 40 opponents. different players. He also scored more goals for a club at the top of the Champions League (120 for Barcelona) than any other player.
And with just a touch of cream to the already greasy cake, Messi’s streak of goals in 18 consecutive Champions League seasons from 2005-2006 to 2022-2023 is also a tournament record.
