Lionel Messi has equalled Pelé’s all-time club scoring tally in a 2-2 draw with Valencia.

His 643rd career goal for Barcelona since his 2004 debut matched Pelé’s 1957-74 tally for Santos.

Messi is Barcelona’s and the Spanish league’s all-time leading scorer.

In January 2018, he became the most prolific scorer among Europe’s top leagues when he reached 366 league goals, surpassing Gerd Müller’s Bundesliga mark of 365.

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Messi had already surpassed Müller’s single-year goal mark by scoring 86 times in 2012.

Pelé congratulated the Argentina forward on social media

“Like you, I know what it’s like to love wearing the same shirt every day. Like you, I know that there is nothing better than the place we feel at home,” he said.

“Congratulations on your historic record, Lionel.

“But above all, congratulations on your beautiful career at Barcelona. Stories like ours, of loving the same club for so long, unfortunately will be increasingly rare in football.”

Pelé’s comments went right to the heart of Messi’s uncertain situation at Barcelona.

Messi has yet to recant on his announcement last summer that he wanted to leave the club, which is no longer the dominant force that he had done so much to forge over the past two decades.

His contract expires in June, and he will be free to negotiate with other clubs come January.

The latest setback by Barcelona left Ronald Koeman’s team in fifth place and eight points adrift of league leader Atlético Madrid, which got two goals by Luis Suárez to beat Elche 3-1.

Ronaldo closes on another Pelé record

Juventus’s Cristiano Ronaldo has competed throughout his career with Messi for the status of the best player in the world.(AP: Massimo Paolone)

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo responded to recent criticism with two goals to help Juventus win at Parma 4-0 in Serie A.

That meant he has moved to within one goal of Pelé’s overall record of 757 official goals.

Pelé has put his goal tally at 1,283 goals, but many of those came in unofficial friendlies and tour games.



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