IFFHS INFO - MESSI : ONE GOAL TO MATCH PELE !


Picture : Lionel Messi and Pelé, two generations, two World Stars !


Messi in just one step from Pele’s All-time World One-Club Scoring record!

It was about 45 years whilst Pele was owner of two world goal-scoring records: on number of top level goals overall (767) and on number of top level goals for one club (Santos, 647). 
These records seemed eternal or almost so – until appearance of two football supermen of modern era. And now they both simultaneously attack Pele’s records; each one from his side.
As we already wrote few days ago, Cristiano Ronaldo is close to beat the total scoring record (758 goals at the moment). In the meantime, Lionel Messi got even closer to one-club record. With 2 goals made in La Liga January 6 game vs Athletic Bilbao (3:2 for Barcelona), his first in 2021, Messi raised his tally for Barcelona to 646. So, his next goal will be historical one!
Here we have to mention that many media worldwide already announced shortly ago both Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi as the new record holders in corresponding categories. But in each of cases it was incorrect statement – as they based on wrong Pele’s numbers, a bit smaller than accurate ones. 
In reality, both Pele’s records are still alive – but do undoubtedly live their last weeks or even days!
Below in the table: all-time players with 500+ goals for one club.





IFFHS Ranking World’s All-Time Best One-Club Goal Scorers  


 PlayerNationalityClubPeriodLeague Cups ICC TotalTotalTotalSum
     NLRLNCOCCTICTLeagueCupsICC 
1Pelé BrazilSantos1957-7410147049 17105714927647
2Lionel Messi Argentina Barcelona2004-453 5314121545367126646
3Fernando PeyroteoPortugalSporting Lisbon1937-493321337323 465753543
4Gerd MüllerGermanyBayern1965-79365 78126813659069524
5Jimmy McGroryScotlandCeltic Glasgow1922-37395 7453  395127 522
6Josef BicanCzechoslovakiaSlavia Prague1937-55417 4942  4179112520
7Jimmy Jones Northern Ireland  Glenavon1951-62275 352061 2752411517
8Joe BambrickNorthern Ireland  Linfield1927-43286 31194  286225 511
9Uwe SeelerGermanyHamburg 1954-7217726741 21 4444121506


NL – National League 

RL – Regional League (taken in account only having the status equal to national league)

NC – (main) national Cup

OC – other (top-level) national Cups

ICC - International Club Competitions

CT – Continental tournaments

ICT – InterContinental (world) tournaments