Back in December 1972, Gerd Mueller raised eyebrows across Europe and the entire football world by overtaking the record of 76 goals within a calendar year established in 1958 by Brazilian legend Pele.

Mueller finished with the astonishing total of 85 goals scored for Bayern Munich and West Germany.

Many observers thought this record would never be broken, given the increasingly defensive nature of modern football.

The past 40 years have seen great strikers like Mario Kempes, Paolo Rossi, Gary Lineker Romario, Rivaldo and Ronaldo, but none of them have even come close to Mueller's record.

Until Lionel Messi came along

His two strikes in Barca's 5-1 destruction of Athletic Bilbao on Saturday have left him with 84 in 2012 - for Barca and Argentina - just one shy of Mueller's seemingly impregnable record.


He is dedicating every goal he scores to three week-old son Thiago.

Messi has five games in which to overtake Muller - though probably he will only need one or two.


La Liga goals 2012/13

Messi -  14 Matches 21 goals.

Ronaldo - 14 Matches 13 goals.