Lionel Messi has become the all-time leading scorer in the Champions League with 74 goals after scoring a hat-trick for Barcelona in their 4-0 Group F win at Apoel Nicosia on Tuesday night.
Messi moved level with the former Real Madrid striker Raúl’s tally of 71 goals with a brace in Barça’s previous match at Ajax, and on Tuesday he claimed sole ownership of the record.
The Argentina forward was denied early on by Rafael Urko but there was nothing the Apoel goalkeeper could do in the 38th minute when Messi stuck out his right foot to deflect Rafinha’s shot into the net to make it 2-0.
Messi scored again in the second half, while Luis Suárez opened the scoring.
Messi also became the Primera División’s record goalscorer at the weekend, with his hat-trick in the 5-1 victory over Sevilla moving him onto 253, breaking Telmo Zarra’s 59-year-old mark of 251.