Lionel Messi sets Champions League career scoring record with hat trick in Barcelona win
Another game, another hat trick, another all-time scoring record for Lionel Messi.
Three days after becoming La Liga's top career scorer, the Barcelona magician produced a hat trick in a 4-0 win over APOEL Nicosia to give him 74 goals in the UEFA Champions League and eclipse Real Madrid legend Raul's old mark of 71.
[More Lionel Messi: If he actually left Barcelona, where would he go?]
Messi broke Raul's record in the 38th minute by redirecting Rafinha's shot into the low left corner, then added a second goal 20 minutes later with another right-footed finish. He completed the hat trick in the 87th minute.
Here is Messi's history-making moment of career goal No. 72 in club soccer's top competition:
On Saturday, Messi scored three times in a 5-1 victory over Sevilla to set the all-time Spanish League goals mark with 253, a record held for 49 years by Athletic Bilbao's Telmo Zarra with 251. Messi's grip on the Champions League mark, however, could be temporary.
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has 70 Champions League goals and will be looking to add to his career total against Basel on Wednesday.
Who'll end up No. 1 on the list? That's like trying to predict where Messi would go if he did the unthinkable and left Barcelona. Either way, soccer fans will be the big winners. Because they'll get to watch two of the game's all-time greats in their prime try to one up each other.
Your move, Ronaldo.
