Messi sets European scoring record

BARCELONA - The Associated Press

Lionel Messi, Barcelona

Lionel Messi broke the 39-year record for most goals in a single season in a major European league, scoring for the 68th time with a hat trick on May 2 to eclipse former Bayern Munich striker Gerd Müller. The Barcelona forward set the mark with his third goal in the 4-1 victory over Malaga in the Spanish league at the Camp Nou, surpassing the 67-goal mark Müller set for Bayern during the 1972-73 season.

Messi’s ninth hat trick of the season took his league total to 46 goals, also a record and three more than Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi’s also passed the 66-goal tallies by Pele for Santos in 1958 and Ferenc Deak for Ferencvaros in 1948-49.

The 24-year-old Messi has also set a Champions League season record with 14 goals. He has scored three goals in the Spanish Super Cup, a pair in both the Club World Cup and the King’s Cup, and once in the European Super Cup.