Messi scores 86th goal of year
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi reached another milestone in his phenomenal career on Sunday when he set a record for goals scored in a calendar year of 86 with a La Liga double at Real Betis, beating Gerd Mueller's 40-year-old tally of 85, Reuters reported.
"I always say the same, it's nice for what it means but the victory is more important as it maintains our lead over the other teams," a typically modest Messi said in a post-match interview with Spanish TV broadcaster Canal Plus.
"My goal when the year began was to try to achieve everything again, with the team, in the league, the (King's) Cup, the Champions League," he added. "I always start with that idea in mind."