The word “football” and Lionel Messi go hand in hand. The left-footed wizard from Argentina has amassed countless awards. And he has broken numerous records since making his senior FC Barcelona debut in 2004 at the age of 17. It may be difficult for future generations to surpass his accomplishments. Why is Messi considered the goat? The term “GOAT” stands for “greatest of all time”. It’s an abbreviation that’s often refer to generational talents in all sports. And Messi just so happens to be the superstar that the bulk of fans connect with this esteemed title. Leo is the GOAT (greatest of all time) in football for the following reasons:
Why is Messi considered the goat?
All time top scorer
Messi made his ‘Blaugrana’ debut in 2004 and has since surpassed all previous goal scorers in La Liga, the national football league of Spain. In 520 games, the Argentine has totaled 474 goals for Barcelona.
Why is Messi considered the goat? He holds the record for the most goals scored both at home (277) and away (197) in La Liga history. In the history of La Liga, he has scored goals against 38 different opponents. Despite only making 292 appearances for his team Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo, a Portuguese international, ranks second with 311 goals.
All time top scorer
The only player to receive four honors in a single season
With seven Ballon d’Or victories, Messi holds the record for most such victories. He is also the first footballer to have won the FIFA World Player, Pichichi Trophy, and Golden Boot all in the same season (2009–10).
At the time, Messi, just 22 years old, defeated Ronaldo with over 240 points to win his first Ballon D’Or. After that, he won the Ballon d’Or three years in a row.
Most goals and hat tricks in a single La Liga season
Messi has won the title of La Liga’s leading scorer in eight consecutive seasons. And he owns the record for the league’s most goals scored in a single season with 50 in 2011–12. Meanwhile, his Portuguese rival only managed 46.
In the 2014–15 season, Ronaldo came within two goals of surpassing Messi’s mark. Messi also holds the record for the most goals scored in a calendar year with 91 goals. That number is for both club and country combined in 2012.
A legend for both club and nation
On August 17, 2005, against Hungary, the Argentine made his senior debut at the age of just 18. Messi entered the game in the 63rd minute. However, he had to leave from the game just two minutes later for a tackle on Vilmos Vanczák of Hungary.
However, he continued to play for the national team an additional 150 times. That overtook Javier Mascherano, who had 147 appearances for Argentina, to become the player with the most caps.
A legend for both club and nation
In August 2011, he became the captain’s helm, guiding them to victory in the Copa America in 2021. With a total of 98 goals, he eventually rose to the position of top scorer in Argentina.
Why is Messi considered the goat? La Liga’s most assists
Along with being the all-time leading scorer in the Spanish league, Messi also owns the record for most assists with 216. That makes him a brilliant playmaker in addition to being a prolific goal scorer. With 129 assists, his former teammate and current FC Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez sits in second place.
Finally, At the FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi made history by becoming the first person to ever win the adidas Golden Ball twice. At Qatar 2022, “La Pulga Atomica” helped Argentina win the championship for the first time in 36 years by scoring seven goals and dishing out three assists while setting several records.
