From Football to Social Media, see the 55 Records Lionel Messi has Broken
Love him or hate him, there has never been and would likely never be another footballer quite like Lionel Messi.
For nearly two decades, the Argentine has rewritten record books at club level, international level, individual awards level, and even on social media. Some of his records have already been broken. Many still stand. A few may never be touched.
Here is a chronological look at the world records Messi has broken throughout his career.
1. Youngest player to score and assist in a FIFA World Cup match (2006)
At 18 years and 357 days old, Messi became the youngest player to both score and assist in a World Cup game.
2. First of a record eight Ballon d’Or wins (2009)
Messi won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009, beginning a record-setting collection that eventually reached eight.
3. First FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball (2009)
He became the best player at the tournament and would go on to win the award more times than anyone else.
4. First FIFA Club World Cup Final MVP award (2009)
Another record that would later become uniquely his.
5. First European Golden Shoe title (2010)
The beginning of a journey that would end with a record six Golden Shoes.
6. Most goals in a club season (73) (2011–12)
Messi scored an astonishing 73 goals for Barcelona in a single season.
7. Most goals in a calendar year (91) (2012)
Arguably the most famous record of his career. Messi scored 91 official goals in 2012.
8. Most goals in a calendar year including friendlies (96) (2012)
If friendlies are counted, the number rises even further.
9. Most club goals in a calendar year (79) (2012)
Yet another scoring record from his ridiculous 2012 season.
10. Most Ballon d’Or wins at the time (4) (2012)
Messi became the first player to win four Ballon d’Or awards.
11. Only player to win four consecutive Ballon d’Or awards (2012)
A record that still stands.
12. Youngest player to win four Ballon d’Or awards (2012)
One of several age-related Ballon d’Or records.
13. Longest scoring streak in a major league (21 matches) (2012–13)
Messi scored in 21 consecutive La Liga matches.
14. First player to score against every opponent consecutively in a league season (2013)
A statistical absurdity that remains unique.
15. Only player with back-to-back 60-goal club seasons (2013)
Another record from his peak years at Barcelona.
16. First World Cup Golden Ball (2014)
Awarded to the tournament’s best player.
17. Youngest five-time Ballon d’Or winner (2015)
Messi added another milestone to his growing collection.
18. Only player to score in three different FIFA Club World Cup finals (2015)
A record built through years of dominance.
19. Most goals in FIFA Club World Cup finals (shared record) (2015)
Another global scoring achievement.
20. Most Pichichi trophies (2017)
Awarded to La Liga’s top scorer.
21. Three consecutive European Golden Shoes (2017–2019)
No other player has achieved this feat.
22. Most European Golden Shoes (5) (2018)
He would later extend the record to six.
23. Most European Golden Shoes (6) (2019)
Still the benchmark today.
24. Youngest six-time Ballon d’Or winner (2019)
Yet another age-related milestone.
25. Most Ballon d’Or wins (6) (2019)
A record that has since grown.
26. Most goals for a single club (672) (2020)
Messi’s Barcelona scoring record remains one of football’s most extraordinary achievements.
27. Most assists for a single club (2020)
Proof that he was never just a goalscorer.
28. First footballer to win Laureus World Sportsman of the Year (2020)
A historic achievement beyond football.
29. Most Ballon d’Or wins (7) (2021)
Messi extended his own record.
30. Most World Cup appearances at the time (2022)
He surpassed previous World Cup appearance records.
31. Most World Cup matches as captain (2022)
Another leadership milestone.
32. Most minutes played in World Cup history (2022)
A testament to his longevity.
33. First player to assist in five different World Cups (2022)
Nobody had done it before.
34. Most World Cup Man of the Match awards (2022)
Messi became the tournament’s most decorated performer.
35. Most Man of the Match awards at a single World Cup (5) (2022)
A key part of Argentina’s triumph.
36. First player to score in every round of a World Cup (2022)
Group stage, Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final.
37. Only player to score in his teens, twenties and thirties at World Cups (2022)
A longevity record few can even dream of.
38. Oldest player to score and assist in a World Cup match (2022)
Another age-defying milestone.
39. Only player to win two World Cup Golden Balls (2022)
Messi’s second came after winning the World Cup itself.
40. Most World Cup goal contributions at the time (2022)
A combination of goals and assists.
41. Most-liked Instagram post ever (2022)
The photo of Messi lifting the World Cup became the most-liked image in Instagram history.
42. Most-liked image on social media (2022)
The record extended beyond Instagram itself.
43. Most Ballon d’Or wins (8) (2023)
Messi became the first player to reach eight.
44. Only player to win Ballon d’Ors in three different decades (2023)
A record that highlights his extraordinary longevity.
45. Largest gap between first and last Ballon d’Or wins (2023)
Fourteen years separated his first and eighth awards.
46. Most FIFA/FIFA Ballon d’Or/The Best awards combined (2023)
No player has accumulated more top-level individual awards.
47. First athlete to win Laureus Sportsman and Team of the Year in the same year (2023)
A unique achievement in global sport.
48. Only footballer to win Laureus World Sportsman of the Year twice (2023)
Messi again stood alone.
49. Most official trophies won by a footballer (46) (2024)
The most decorated player in football history.
50. Most assists in a single MLS game (2024)
Messi continued breaking records even in the United States.
51. Most goal contributions in a single MLS game (2024)
A reminder that age had done little to slow him down.
52. First male player to appear in six FIFA World Cups (2026)
A record that may stand for decades.
53. Most World Cup appearances in history (2026)
Messi moved further clear of every player before him.
54. All-time FIFA World Cup top scorer (2026)
He surpassed the previous men’s record.
55. Highest World Cup goals tally across men’s and women’s football (2026)
Messi overtook Marta’s long-standing benchmark.
Whether you think he is the greatest footballer ever or not, the scale of Messi’s record book is difficult to comprehend. The numbers span nearly twenty years, multiple continents, every major competition in football, and even the social media era.
Some records will fall. Others probably won’t.
But taken together, they form one of the most remarkable careers in the history of sport.
