Messi, 33, hit the milestone goal with a diving header just before halftime immediately after his penalty was saved by Valencia keeper Jaume Domenech. Messi, who made his first appearance for Barcelona aged 17 in 2004, needed 748 matches to score 643 goals, while Pele managed the tally in 665 competitive games for Santos. Expand Close Pele in 1961 playing for Santos / FacebookTwitterEmailWhatsapp Pele in 1961 playing for Santos"Like you, I know that there is nothing better than the place we feel at home. Congratulations on your historic record, Lionel. "Stories like ours, of loving the same club for so long, unfortunately will be increasingly rare in football.

Source: Irish Independent December 20, 2020 09:22 UTC