Lionel Messi continues to interrupt information whereas within the twilight of his profession – however one stat has proved unimaginable for even him to high.
The Argentine’s eight Ballons d’Or could also be thought-about his crowning particular person achievement, however his 91 objectives in 2012 stay as spectacular.
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At age 25, he was in some way simply 9 strikes away from reaching triple figures for membership and nation in a calendar yr.
Messi shattered Germany legend Gerd Muller’s haul of 85 objectives that had stood since 1972 en path to capping a historic yr for Barcelona.
Over a decade later, neither of Cristiano Ronaldo or Robert Lewandowski’s greatest yearly returns have come near breaking it.
With none of Viktor Gyokeres, Harry Kane, or Erling Haaland even reaching half-a-century in 2024 it will not be in peril anytime quickly.
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Curiously, 2012 is nearly as well-known in Messi’s profession for the video games he did not win – the penalty miss towards Chelsea, that defeat to Celtic, and that Ronaldo Clasico stalemate.
Messi elevated Muller’s file by round seven per cent – if that does not sound like a lot then let’s take a deeper look.
For context, it could be the identical as LeBron James upping Wilt Chamberlain’s 4,029-point haul from the 1961/62 NBA season by 282.
Persevering with that metric, Aaron Decide would want an additional 5 residence runs to stretch Barry Bonds’ 2001 file of 73 by the identical quantity.
Messi averaged a aim each 66 minutes he was on the pitch in 2012, with 78 of his 91 objectives coming from contained in the penalty space.
What’s even crazier is that the now-Inter Miami star does have a case to assert the true determine is 97 – and never in the best way Pele counted his objectives…
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January (7 objectives)
Because the file is only for a single calendar yr, let’s not overlook Messi was midway by means of a season when he entered 2012.
The ahead had already netted 27 objectives for Barcelona within the first half of the 2011/12 marketing campaign and hit the bottom operating within the New 12 months.
4 days into January, Messi adopted a Cesc Fabregas brace by scoring twice late on in a 4-0 win over Osasuna within the Copa del Rey.
He hadn’t even began the match however bagged the primary of his 91 haul with a close-range header after being launched in its place.
Messi went on so as to add one other 5 after that match, whereas additionally being awarded the Ballon d’Or for a 3rd consecutive yr in mid-January.
- 4th – Two objectives vs. Osasuna in Copa Del Rey (4-0)
- fifteenth – Two objectives vs. Actual Betis (4-2)
- twenty second – Three objectives vs. Malaga (4-1)
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February (10 objectives – 17 whole)
Messi introduced his dazzling type into the worldwide stage, with a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-1 pleasant win away at Switzerland.
He additionally marked his two hundredth La Liga look in a 5-1 win over Valencia with one in all his two four-goal hauls in 2012.
- 4th – One aim vs. Actual Sociedad (2-1)
- 14th – One aim vs. Bayer Leverkusen in Champions League (3-1)
- nineteenth – 4 objectives vs. Valencia (5-1)
- twenty sixth – One aim vs. Atletico Madrid (2-1)
- twenty ninth – Three objectives vs. Switzerland (3-1)
March (13 objectives – 30 whole)
Being on the scoresheet towards Bayer Leverkusen simply as soon as wasn’t sufficient for Messi – so he did it one other 5 instances within the second leg.
The No.10 turned the primary participant because the Champions League’s 1992 rebrand to attain a quintet in a single recreation.
Fulham and former Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno was the unlucky sufferer that Messi chipped twice throughout a 7-1 rout.
- seventh – 5 objectives vs. Bayer Leverkusen in Champions League (7-1)
- eleventh – Two objectives vs. Racing Santander (2-0)
- seventeenth – One aim vs. Seville (2-0)
- twentieth – Three objectives vs. Granada (5-3)
- twenty fourth – One aim vs. Actual Mallorca (2-0)
- thirty first – One aim vs. Athletic Bilbao (2-0)
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April (9 Targets – 39 whole)
Messi transformed 12 of the 13 penalties he took throughout La Liga and the Champions League in 2012 however his one miss stays essentially the most well-known.
Barca’s former captain has a staggering file of 26 objectives towards the Premier League’s ‘Huge Six’ groups – regardless of by no means enjoying in England.
That determine is much more outstanding contemplating it took him 730 minutes throughout 9 video games and 30 photographs to notch towards Chelsea.
Messi might have been fearing a curse when he smacked the crossbar from 12 yards in a Champions League semi-final with the Blues.
The scores had been degree on mixture on the time, with Fernando Torres’ last-gasp aim eliminating Pep Guardiola’s defending champions.
- third – Two objectives vs. AC Milan in Champions League (3-1)
- seventh – Two objectives vs. Actual Zaragoza (4-1)
- tenth – One aim vs. Getafe (4-0)
- 14th – Two objectives vs. Levante (2-1)
- twenty ninth – Two objectives vs. Rayo Vallecano (7-0)
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Might (8 objectives – 47 whole)
Barcelona’s season ended in additional distress, because the membership had been pipped to the La Liga title by Actual Madrid earlier than Guardiola determined to go away.
Nevertheless, Messi’s goalscoring feats refused to take successful regardless of solely enjoying 4 matches in Might, with seven objectives coming in two video games.
In a 4-1 win over Malaga on the finish of the 2011/12 marketing campaign, the then 24-year-old netted a hat-trick to smash a 39-year file for essentially the most objectives in all competitions in a significant European league season.
Together with his 68th aim that time period, Messi overtook the primary of Muller’s long-standing feats after his tally of 67 in 1973 with Bayern Munich.
His last strike at membership degree that season helped ship Barcelona’s twenty sixth Copa Del Rey title following a 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.
- 2nd – Three objectives vs. Malaga (4-1)
- fifth – 4 objectives vs. Espanyol (4-0)
- twenty fifth – One aim vs. Athletic Bilbao in Copa Del Rey last (3-0)
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June (4 objectives – 51 whole)
Whereas the 2 months earlier than introduced profession disappointments, the beginning of summer time in 2012 delivered heartwarming private information.
Messi fittingly selected his return to Buenos Aires to inform the world his future spouse Antonella Roccuzzo was anticipating their first little one.
His twenty third aim for Argentina in a World Cup qualifying win over Ecuador noticed him rejoice in typical footballer trend.
Messi positioned the ball up his shirt after slamming residence from shut vary after the half-hour mark, with Roccuzzo later confirming she was pregnant on social media.
Clearly on cloud 9, Messi completed for the vacations by taking residence the match ball in a 4-3 pleasant thriller towards arch-rivals Brazil.
- 2nd – One aim vs. Ecuador in World Cup qualifier (4-0)
- ninth – Three objectives vs. Brazil (4-3)
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July (0 objectives/0 video games – 51 whole)
It is somewhat identified indisputable fact that Messi really did rating 3 times within the month usually reserved for low season holidays.
The magician usually bagged a treble in his first recreation again for pre-season throughout an 8-0 win over Raja Casablanca in Tangier on July 28.
Nevertheless, to keep away from ‘including objectives scored from his again backyard’, as talkSPORT’s Jason Cundy as soon as accused Pele of, we cannot depend it!
August (7 objectives – 58 whole)
Messi hitting the bottom operating within the 2012/13 marketing campaign ought to have been no shock to anybody contemplating his type in pre-season.
He notched each of Barcelona’s objectives in 2-2 draw with Paris Saint-Germain, earlier than netting once more in a 2-0 win over Dinamo Bucuresti.
That technically places his total tally for 2012 simply three shy of a century, however the objectives aren’t formally counted – regardless of the match circumstances being the identical as Argentina’s 3-1 victory towards Germany in a global pleasant lower than every week later.
Messi did get on the scoresheet in all of Barcelona’s first 4 aggressive matches of the Tito Vilanova period, scoring six instances.
This included each legs of the Tremendous Cup towards Actual Madrid, which made him Barcelona’s all-time high scorer in El Clasico matches.
- fifteenth – One aim vs. Germany (3-1)
- nineteenth – Two objectives vs. Actual Sociedad (5-1)
- twenty third – One aim vs. Actual Madrid in Tremendous Cup (3-2)
- twenty sixth – Two objectives vs. Osasuna (2-1)
- twenty ninth – One aim vs. Actual Madrid in Tremendous Cup (1-2)
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September (5 objectives – 63 whole)
A uncommon lean month for Messi would finally show pivotal in a bid to achieve triple digits for 2012, having blanked in 4 of his seven video games.
Messi hadn’t failed to attain in a aggressive match for membership or nation since early Might, however was denied in a 1-0 win over Valencia.
A return to Argentina helped him resdiscover his goalscoring contact, with 4 objectives in his subsequent two Barca matches in Mid-September.
Nevertheless, he was unusually stored out of the headlines within the last two video games of the month, regardless of the Catalans discovering the online 5 instances.
- eighth – One aim vs. Paraguay in World Cup qualifier (3-1)
- fifteenth – Two objectives vs. Getafe (4-1)
- nineteenth – Two objectives vs. Spartak Moscow in Champions League (3-2)
October (10 objectives – 73 whole)
A massively pivotal month of the yr noticed the cream rise to the highest, with Messi scoring seven membership objectives and one other three for his nation.
The primary two of which got here in an iconic Clasico encounter – the sixth of 2012 – and the neutrals’ fan favorite in his rivalry with Ronaldo.
The pair, who shared the Ballon d’Or from 2008-2017, fittingly scored all 4 objectives between them in a 2-2 draw with two-a-piece.
Messi then proved instrumental in spearheading Argentina’s cost to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, earlier than claiming one other match-ball upon his return to Spain.
He closed out the month by discovering life powerful in a hard-fought battle with Celtic in Europe – which was an indication of issues to come back…
- seventh – Two objectives vs. Actual Madrid (2-2)
- thirteenth – Two objectives vs. Uruguay in World Cup qualifier (3-0)
- seventeenth – One aim vs. Chile in World Cup qualifier (2-1)
- twentieth – Three objectives vs. Deportivo La Coruna (5-4)
- twenty seventh – Two objectives vs. Rayo Vallecano (5-0)
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November (9 objectives – 82 whole)
The penuimate month of the yr began with a private spotlight – the start of his first little one, a son Thiago, on November 2.
It is greater than comprehensible that Messi wasn’t his standard self having failed to attain or help lower than 24 hours later towards Celta Vigo.
Thiago Messi would not have to attend too lengthy for his father to dedicate him his first aim – however the circumstances made it a muted affair.
The venue? Celtic Park and Fraser Forster spectacularly making 13 saves because the Bhoys gained 2-1, with Messi later describing the goalkeeper’s efficiency as ‘not human’ and one of the best he ever noticed.
Messi did finally discover a well beyond the ex-England worldwide from a rebound in injury-time, which was adopted by a really low-key suck of the thumb celebration in honour of his son.
- seventh – One aim vs. Celtic in Champions League (1-2)
- eleventh – Two objectives vs. Actual Mallorca (4-2)
- seventeenth – Two objectives vs. Actual Zaragoza (3-1)
- twentieth – Two objectives vs. Spartak Moscow in Champions League (3-0)
- twenty fifth – Two objectives vs. Levante (4-0)
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December (9 objectives – 91 whole)
And right here we’re ultimately with Messi, the person not simply content material with breaking Muller’s file however able to oblierating it.
He drew degree with ‘Der Bomber’ with trademark slaloming run and dribble into the field noticed him cooly discovering the far backside nook, earlier than the file strike noticed him select the identical spot having been teed up properly by Andres Iniesta.
Sometimes, Messi stated of the file afterwards: “It is good for what it means however the victory is extra necessary.”
Messi prevented questions on heading straight to the seashore in his subsequent recreation after nearly lacking an open aim from two yards towards Cordoba however the ball ricocheted off the underside of the bar and bounced over the road.
His 91st and last aim of 2012 earlier than Spanish soccer had their winter break got here three days earlier than Christmas.
Messi’s trusty left boot noticed a side-footed shot fly previous now-retired Dani Hernandez as Barca restored their nine-point cushion on the high.
- 1st – Two objectives vs. Athletic Bilbao (5-1)
- ninth – Two objectives vs. Actual Betis (2-1)
- twelfth – Two objectives vs. Cordoba (0-2) within the Copa del Rey
- sixteenth – Two objectives vs. Atletico Madrid (4-1)
- twenty second – One aim vs. Actual Valladolid (1-3)
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What had been the matches he failed to attain in?
There have been solely 21 of them in 2012!
Messi scored in each aggressive match he performed in August and December, with only one gameweek clean in each March and Might.
January proved to be his most expensive month with 5 goalless video games, albeit he did stability that hauls from the three he did rating in.
However total, his goals-per-game had been nonetheless decrease than his different lean month of September, which yielded 5 strikes and 4 blanks.
- January eighth – vs. Espanyol (1-1)
- January twelfth – vs. Osasuna in Copa Del Rey (2-1)
- January 18th – vs. Actual Madrid in Copa Del Rey (2-1)
- January twenty fifth – vs. Actual Madrid in Copa Del Rey (2-2)
- January twenty eighth – vs. Villarreal (0-0)
- February 1st – vs. Valencia in Copa Del Rey (1-1)
- February eighth – vs. Valencia in Copa Del Rey (2-0)
- February eleventh – vs. Osasuna (2-3)
- March twenty eighth – vs. AC Milan UCL quarter-final, first leg (0-0)
- April 18th – vs. Chelsea UCL semi-final, first leg (0-1)
- April twenty first – vs. Actual Madrid (1-2)
- April twenty fourth – vs. Chelsea UCL semi-final, second leg (2-2)
- Might twelfth – vs. Actual Betis (2-2)
- September 2nd – vs. Valencia (1-0)
- September twelfth – vs. Peru in World Cup qualifier (1-1)
- September twenty second – vs. Granada (2-0)
- September twenty ninth – vs. Seville (3-2)
- October 2nd – vs. Benfica UCL group-stage (2-0)
- October twenty third – vs. Celtic UCL group stage (2-1)
- November third – vs. Celta Vigo (3-1)
- November 14th – vs. Saudi Arabia (0-0)
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What got here subsequent?
Extremely, Messi was greater than on observe to shatter his personal file when he returned to motion with a vengeance at first of 2013.
With January proving his undoing the yr prior, Messi banged in 9 objectives in the identical interval 12 months on.
Seven of these got here in Barcelona’s 4 La Liga video games, with a minimum of one in each match to proceed an otherworldly run.
The truth is, after failing to get on the scorsheet towards Celta Vigo in November 2012 – a day after his eldest son was born – Messi scored a minimum of as soon as (30 total) in all of his following 19 league conferences operating till the top of March 2023.
His progress was curtailed by two hamstring accidents suffered in April and Might, which meant we’ll by no means know what might have occurred.