MESSI'S RECORD IN DETAIL

Messi's brace last night against Real Betis put him into the Football record books, as the player with the highest number of goals in a single calendar year, a record previously held by German Gerd Müller. Gerd Muller held the record for 40th years, many year before a certain Argentinian Leo Messi was born.
Soccer4life presents a detailed report of Messi's record for the year 2012

- By scoring a brace at the Benito Villamarín, Leo Messi took his total in 2012 to 86 goals, beating the all-time record in a calendar year set by Gerd Müller (1972).

- In the league, Messi has scored 56 goals in 34 games, while Müller got 42 in 34 games.

- in Europe, Messi got 13 in 11 matches, while Müller got 10 in 4 matches.

- In the cup, Messi got 3 goals in 7 matches and Müller got 7 out of 6.

- September was Messi’s most productive month (13), while March (13) was the most prolific period for the former Bayern striker.

- Messi has scored 86 goals in 66 matches for Barça and Argentina. The German got 85 in 60.

- 76 of Messi’s goals were scored with his left foot, 7 with the right and 3 with his head.

- 74 were scored from inside the box (14 were penalties) and 12 outside (7 from free kicks).

- Malaga and Bayer Leverkusen (6) are the teams Messi has got the most goals against so far in 2012.

- Iniesta (9), Cesc (6) and Alexis (6) supplied him with the most assists.

- His 23 goals in 15 games are his best ever start to a Liga campaign, and equal the record set by Cristiano Ronaldo (2011/12).

- He has scored twice in his last five Liga appearances.

- On Sunday, Messi scored his first league goals at the Benito Villamarín, although he did score there once before in the cup in 2010/11.

- He had three shots on target, and two of those went in (the other struck both the goalkeeper and the post).

- He also completed 44 passes out of 54 attempts.