Lionel Messi was trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo and Raul on the Champions League’s all-time leading goal scorers’ list when he woke up Tuesday.
Messi, 27, passed Ronaldo and tied Raul when he scored both goals in Barcelona’s 2-0 win over Ajax on Tuesday. Messi’s goals were the 70th and 71st of his career in European soccer’s elite competition.
Messi gave Barcelona the lead over Ajax with this headed goal in the 36th minute.
[tweet https://twitter.com/Troll__Football/status/530093249466494976 align=’center’]
Messi made it 2-0 when he poked Pedro’s cross past Ajax goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen in the 76th minute.
Messi needed just 90 games to score his 71st goal. Raul scored 71 in 142 games (between 1994 and 2010).
Ronaldo missed his chance to tie (or break) Raul’s Champions League record Tuesday when he failed to score in Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Liverpool. Ronaldo’s total currently stands at 70 goals in 107 games.
The race to pass Raul will resume in a few weeks. Barcelona visits Cypriot club APOEL on Nov. 25, giving Messi a golden chance to make the record his own before his rival Ronaldo. If Messi falters, Ronaldo can tie or break Raul’s record on Nov. 26 when Real Madrid visits Basel.
Thumbnail photo by Peter Dejong/The Associated Press
