Lionel Messi continues to hold many records in soccer, making it tough for stars like Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and Harry Kane to exceed them. Recently, these top forwards fell short of one of Messi’s significant records from his time at Barcelona.
Messi’s career features impressive milestones that are hard to match. One standout record is his remarkable achievement of scoring in 21 consecutive league matches during the 2012-13 La Liga season, more than any player in Europe’s top leagues.
During that streak, Messi scored 33 goals and was the first player to find the net against every team in a single season. He ended the season with 46 league goals, helping Barcelona secure 100 points under coach Tito Vilanova.
This period was marked by Messi’s dominance, earning him four Ballon d’Or awards, scoring 91 goals in a calendar year, and showcasing an extraordinary level of consistency, which solidified his place among the greatest players in soccer history.
Lionel Messi celebrating a goal for Barcelona.
Haaland’s streak ends
Erling Haaland saw his 12-game scoring streak come to a halt as Manchester City lost 1-0 to Aston Villa. This marked City’s first loss since August 31, with Matty Cash scoring the winning goal. Haaland did score in the final minutes, but it was ruled offside, ending his chance to challenge Messi’s record this season.
Mbappe and Kane fall short
Kylian Mbappe experienced an end to his 11-game streak against Juventus. With 43 goals in 44 matches for Real Madrid in 2025, he still couldn’t threaten Messi’s landmark.
Harry Kane’s 10-game scoring streak for Bayern Munich ended during a 3-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach. Despite netting 20 goals in his first 13 matches and receiving praise from German media as having a “career-best” start, he also fell short in the record chase.
To illustrate Messi’s achievement, scoring in over 10 consecutive matches is exceptional in elite soccer. In the Premier League, the record for consecutive scoring matches stands at 11, accomplished by Jamie Vardy in the 2015-16 season—exactly half of Messi’s streak. The closest record in Europe was set by Gerd Müller, who scored in 16 consecutive Bundesliga matches over 50 years ago.