MAGICAL MESSI'S 86 GOAL RECORD IN NUMBERS

FIFA have unveiled their 10 nominees for the 2012 FIFA Puskas Award - an accolade given to the scorer of the year's best goal - which was won 12 months ago by Santos and Brazil star Neymar.

While we will have to wait patiently for the official result to be announced at the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala on January 7, 2012,Sport360° want to know your favourite goal from the 10 nominated. 

First up is this stunning effort from Emmanuel Agyemang Badu who receives the ball on the edge of the box, flicks it up in the air and volleys home in Ghana’s match against Guinea. Great tekkers!

MESSI NEYMAR FALCAO FIFA'S TOP 10 GOALS OF 2012

FIFA have unveiled their 10 nominees for the 2012 FIFA Puskas Award - an accolade given to the scorer of the year's best goal - which was won 12 months ago by Santos and Brazil star Neymar.

While we will have to wait patiently for the official result to be announced at the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala on January 7, 2012,Sport360° want to know your favourite goal from the 10 nominated. 

First up is this stunning effort from Emmanuel Agyemang Badu who receives the ball on the edge of the box, flicks it up in the air and volleys home in Ghana’s match against Guinea. Great tekkers!

Messi among the Top 10 all-time La Liga scorers

Leo Messi keeps on breaking long-standing records. The Argentinean, with his two goals against Rayo Vallecano this evening, has netted 182 career goals in La Liga, making him the all-time 10th highest scorer in La Liga history. The Barça player is level on goals with Juan Arza, the player that donned the Sevilla strip from 1943 through 1959. Messi is only four goals back from Santillana (186 goals), who played for Madrid for 17 seasons. Zarra (Athletic Club) currently holds the record with 251 goals. 

The third best average 

Of all the players in the Top 10, Messi has the third best goalscoring average with 0.82 goals per match. He’s only bested by the record holder Zarra (0.91) and eighth-place Mundo (0.84). Messi’s average is better than other legendary La Liga forwards like Raúl (0.46), Quini (0.49), and Arza (0.52). 

13 hat-tricks and 2 quadruples 

Messi has scored his 182 goals in 223 official La Liga matches. The end-of-season goal tallies that he’s put up, with a couple of small exceptions, have increased over time. Since the 2004/05 season, when he scored his first goal - against Albacete (2-0)- he’s scored 6, 14, 10, 23, 34, 31 and 50goals, respectively, each season. 

This year, after nine matchdays, he’s netted 13 times. If he continues at this pace, he’ll end the season as La Liga’s sixth or seventh all-time scorer. 

Atlético and Diego Alves, his favourite victims 

Atlético Madrid are the team that Leo Messi has scored the most on throughout his career. Up until now, he’s netted 15 times against Los Colchoneros, three more than he has against Racing Santander (12) and four more than he has against Sevilla and Zaragoza (11). Diego Alves, who’s conceded 11 goals to the Argentinean, is the keeper that has conceded the most goals to Messi, ahead ofIker Casillas (10). 

The Argentinean has scored a total of 13 hat-tricks and 2 quadruples - against Valencia and Espanyol, both times last season. Is there a record that Messi cannot break?

Lionel Messi: Goals record caps golden year for Barcelona star

Record-breaking Messi

• Most goals in a calendar year - 86
• Most goals in a season: 68
• Most goals in a European Cup season: 14 (jointly with Jose Altafini)
• Most goals in a La Liga season: 50
• Most La Liga hat-tricks in a season: 8
• Most European Cup top scorer awards: 4 (with Gerd Mueller)
• Most goals in a single European Cup game: 5
• Most goals scored in Spanish Super Cup: 10
• Most consecutive La Liga matches scored in: 10
• Most goals in Club World Cup: 4 (held jointly with Denilson)
• Barcelona's top goalscorer in all official competitions: 281
• Barcelona's record goalscorer in Champions League: 56
• Most La Liga hat-tricks: 15