Messi beats Muller’s 40-year goal record

Lionel Messi needed just 25 minutes to dispel any doubts that he would break Gerd Muller’s longstanding world record of 85 goals in a calendar year on Sunday.

Having made a quick recovery from the midweek injury that threatened to curtail his bid, the Barcelona soccer star drew level with the German after 16 minutes of the Spanish league match against Real Betis.

A mere nine minutes later, the 25-year-old added another accolade to his collection as he put Barcelona 2-0 ahead to surpass Muller’s 1972 milestone with a possible three more matches to play in 2012,according to CNN.

Fifth-placed Betis hit back before halftime through Ruben Castro, but could not prevent unbeaten league leaders Barcelona from registering a 14th win from 15 matches to extend the club’s record start to the season.

“I’ve said it a lot — it’s nice to beat records but the win for the team is what is important and the points difference at the top,” Messi told reporters after Barca retained a six-point lead over second-placed Atletico Madrid.

Messi’s next challenge is to become the first man to win the world player of the year award four times, as he heads the shortlist for January’s ceremony along with clubmate Andres Iniesta and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo.

“If Iniesta wins, it will be well-deserved for all that he has done, for the way he plays. Again, it will also be a prize for the dressing room,” Messi said of the Spain midfielder, who beat him to last season’s top European award.

He is already Barcelona’s alltime leading scorer, having in March surpassed the 232 goal mark set by Cesar Rodriguez in the 1950s.

Last season he scored a record 50 goals in La Liga, and he already has 23 this term. Of his 86 for 2012, 74 have been for Barcelona and 12 for his country.

The world has yet to see the best of Messi on the international stage, as he has yet to win a senior title with Argentina — and that is the challenge he next faces if is to be known as a true great, according to British football journalist Henry Winter.

“Pele did it for Brazil and Maradona for Argentina. In the 2014 World Cup on Brazilian soil it’ll be wonderful to see Messi show the world what a special, special player he is,” Winter told CNN on Sunday.

Messi vs. Muller: The goal kings

“They say top players hit their peak at 27 or 28 when they have the maturity and the game craft and still the athleticism of youth. I think we’ll see a player like Messi who’s very humble, very grounded, continuing to work and develop with the great Barcelona players he’s got around him, like Xavi and Iniesta.