Lionel Messi overtook Pele's world record of scoring the most goals for a single club as Barcelona, Atletico Madrid registered wins in La Liga.
Lionel Messi became the all-time top scorer for a single soccer club on Tuesday after scoring his 644th goal for Barcelona during their La Liga match against Real Valladolid, surpassing Pele`s record goal haul for Brazilian side Santos. The 33-year-old Argentine, who matched Pele’s mark of 643 goals with a strike against Valencia on Saturday, scored the third goal in the 65th minute as Barca won 3-0 at Valladolid. Pele scored 643 goals in 665 competitive games for Santos, while Messi needed 749 matches to break the record, although he did it in 17 seasons compared to the 19 the Brazil great needed.
Pele, now 80, made his Santos debut aged 15 in 1956 and left in 1974 after winning six Brazilian league titles plus two Copa Libertadores crowns, South America`s European Cup. Lionel Messi, who made his first appearance for Barcelona aged 17 in 2004, has won 10 La Liga titles with the club plus four Champions League trophies.
Atletico Madrid stay on top
La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid moved three points clear with a 2-0 win at third-placed Real Sociedad on Tuesday thanks to second-half goals from Mario Hermoso and Marcos Llorente. The game failed to live up to its billing in a drab first half but Atleti broke the deadlock early in the second when defender Hermoso headed in Yannick Carrasco`s floated free kick. The visitors, without record signing Joao Felix who stayed in the team hotel after feeling ill, added to their lead with a vicious strike from Llorente after a lay-off from Luis Suarez.
Sociedad welcomed back playmaker David Silva from injury but did not manage a shot on target until Atletico keeper Jan Oblak tipped a Martin Merquelanz free kick around the post late on.
Atleti, who recorded their 300th win in 499 games in all competitions under manager Diego Simeone, have 32 points from 13 games ahead of second-placed Real Madrid who have played 14 and host Granada on Wednesday. "We knew how important this game was and what it would mean to win it and keep a clean sheet," said Hermoso. "We keep fighting in every game, demanding so much of overselves and overcoming difficulties. It might look easy from the outside but it isn’t."
Sociedad, who had led the standings for most of the season until their recent slide, slumped to a third straight league defeat and have now not won in their last nine matches in all competitions. A victory would have seen them go level on points with Atletico but instead they trail Simeone`s side by six and have played three games more.
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