Former Brazilian footballer Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pelé expressed his admiration for the Argentine Lionel Messi on Saturday after the Barcelona striker, with a goal against Valencia, equaled his record for the player with the most goals scored by the same club: 643.
“Stories like ours, of love for the same club for so long, will unfortunately be increasingly rare in football. I admire you very much, Messi”, stated “El Rey” and three-time world champion with Brazil in a message he posted on his account Instagram along with a photo of the Argentine celebrating one of his goals.
Signing up against Valencia on Saturday, Messi added 643 goals as a Barcelona player, just like Pelé scored with Brazilian Santos.
“When your heart overflows with love, it’s hard to change your way. Like you, I know what it means to love to wear the same shirt every day. Like you, I know there’s nothing better than place “Congratulations on your historic record, Lionel, but, above all, congratulations on your beautiful career in Barcelona.”added the one considered by some to be the best footballer in the world.
Messi has scored 643 goals in the 748 games he has played for Barça since making his debut in 2004, 16 years ago.
Pelé scored the same number in his 659 games as a player at Santos, a club where he spent 17 years, until 1971.
Among other marks, Messi has already overtaken Telmo Zarra as the top scorer in the Spanish League, César as the top scorer for Barça and the German Gerd Müller as the top scorer in a calendar year.