Messi surpasses Ronaldo as Barca star breaks more La Liga records

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi became the only player to score 10 or more goals in each of the past 14 seasons in Europe's top-five leagues with a hat-trick against Real Mallorca.

The first of Messi's strikes in Saturday's La Liga clash, a 25-yard effort that curled away from Manolo Reina, took him into double figures for the league campaign.

The Argentina international, who landed a record sixth Ballon d'Or on Monday, doubled his tally before the interval with another goal from range to make it 11 in total this term.

And with seven minutes he left he swooped to complete his triple, his second in 2019-20.

35 - @FCBarcelona 's Lionel Messi has become the player with the most hat-tricks in @LaLigaEN history (35), surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo (34). Excellence. pic.twitter.com/WUFU9Ck241

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) December 7, 2019

Messi has now moved ahead of former Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo as the player with the most hat-tricks in La Liga history, having now scored 35 in his career.

Messi's highest-scoring league season for Barca came in 2011-12 when he reached 50 goals in 37 appearances.

The newly crowned Ballon d'Or holder endured a slow start to the 2019-20 season, his appearances severely restricted by injury.

He played no part in Barca's first four Liga outings, before being eased back into action with 45 scoreless minutes in subsequent clashes against Granada and Villarreal.

Since regaining full fitness, however, the Argentine has enjoyed a rapid return to regular service.

10 - @FCBarcelona 's Lionel Messi is the only player to score 10+ goals in each of the last 14 seasons in the top five European leagues. Gold. pic.twitter.com/yn60DPoB8T

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) December 7, 2019

His 12 goals have come in just nine starts, a tally that leaves him ahead of Karim Benzema as La Liga's top scorer so far - the Real Madrid star having made four more appearances for Barca's title rivals.

Messi's sumptuous strike from outside the area also put his side ahead as Europe's most dangerous team from distance.

Barca have now scored 10 such goals this season, a figure that places them in front of the likes of Bordeaux and Manchester City.

Unsurprisingly, Leo has played a big part in that record, with no less than seven of those long-range efforts belonging to the Argentine.

Antoine Griezmann and Luis Suarez were also on target for the Catalans on Saturday, the latter finishing off a team move with an outrageous back-heel strike, while Mallorca's Ante Budimir kept the visitors in touch with a double at Camp Nou.