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A breakdown of the stats behind Lionel Messi’s 800 career goals

Ben Stewart •

Lionel Messi scored his 800th career goal with a fine free-kick for Argentina against Panama and we’ve dived into the stats to break down this incredible record.

His strike against Panama was the 99th goal he has scored for Argentina and he will now be eyeing up a century of goals for his country.

The 35-year-old has been in fine goalscoring form all season as he has now scored 31 goals in 2022-23 for club and country. Even in the twilight of his career, he so often produces moments of magic.

After lifting the World Cup at the end of last year, Messi has now won pretty much everything on offer. He has 42 trophies to his name throughout his illustrious career and there could still be more on the way.

His latest milestone of 800 goals reminded us all of his genius and we’ve broken down the numbers behind this astonishing record.

Overall

Games: 1017
Goals: 800
Goals per game: 0.79
Hat-tricks: 56
Four in a game: 6
Five in a game: 2
Penalties (missed): 108 (31)
Assists: 353

Season by season breakdown

2004-05: 1 goal in 9 appearances

2005-06: 10 goals in 35 appearances

2006-07: 21 goals in 46 appearances

2007-08: 19 goals in 50 appearances

2008-09: 41 goals in 60 appearances

2009-10: 48 goals in 64 appearances

2010-11: 57 goals in 66 appearances

2011-12: 82 goals in 69 appearances

2012-13: 69 goals in 62 appearances

2013-14: 48 goals in 57 appearances

2014-15: 62 goals in 67 appearances

2015-16: 50 goals in 59 appearances

2016-17: 57 goals in 57 appearances

2017-18: 52 goals in 64 appearances

2018-19: 54 goals in 58 appearances

2019-20: 33 goals in 46 appearances

2020-21: 44 goals in 60 appearances

2021-22: 21 goals in 45 appearances

2022-23: 31 goals in 43 appearances

Competitions

League: 485 goals

Barcelona: 672 (778 appearances)
PSG: 29 (66 appearances)

Champions League: 129 goals

Barcelona: 120 (149 appearances)
PSG: 9 (14 appearances)

Domestic cups: 56 goals

Copa del Ray: 56 (80 appearances)
Coupe de France: 0 (2 appearances)

Other club competitions: 23 goals

Club World Cup: 5 (5 appearances)
UEFA Super Cup: 3 (4 appearances)
Domestic ‘Super Cups’: 15 (21 appearances)

International: 99 goals

World Cup finals: 13
World Cup qualifying: 28
Copa America: 13
Friendlies: 45

Century goal milestones

1st goal v Albacete Balompie (May 1, 2005)
9th match
100th goal v Dynamo Kyiv (September 29, 2009)
210th match
200th goal v Real Madrid (August 17, 2011)
332nd match
300th goal v Rayo Vallecano (October 27, 2012)
418th match
400th goal v Granada (September 27, 2014)
525th match
500th goal v Valencia (April 17, 2016)
632nd match
600th goal v Atletico Madrid (March 4, 2018)
747th match
700th goal v Atletico Madrid (June 30, 2020)
862nd match
800th goal v Panama (March 23, 2023)
1017th match

Top 10 club opponents scored against – No. of goals

Thirty-eight goals: Sevilla
Thirty-two goals: Atletico Madrid
Thirty-one goals: Valencia
Twenty-nine goals: Athletic Bilbao
Twenty-six goals: Real Betis, Real Madrid
Twenty-five goals: Osasuna, Espanyol
Twenty-four goals: Levante
Twenty-one goals: Getafe

How Messi has scored

Left foot: 670 (83.75%)
Right foot: 101 (12.63%)
Head: 26 (3.25%)
Other (Arm, midriff): 3 (0.38%)

Open play: 630 (78.75%)
Free kicks: 62 (7.75%)
Penalties: 108 (13.5%)

Home: 438 (54.75%)
Away: 294 (36.75%)
Neutral: 68 (8.5%)

READ NEXT: Messi’s delicious free-kick got us so excited we’ve let out a little wee

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every club Lionel Messi has scored against in the UCL?

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