Most Goals in a Calendar Year

Lionel Messi

Widely considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, Lionel Messi remains an extraordinarily effective performer even in his late thirties. Naturally, his style has adapted with age, yet the trophies and records have continued to pile up throughout the past ten years on top of his earlier achievements.

On a personal level, though, no single year comes close to 2012. Across club and international duty, the Argentine featured in 69 matches, provided 22 assists, and incredibly found the net 91 times. Despite those heroic numbers, Barcelona’s only silverware that season was the 2011/12 Copa del Rey, but that solitary team success does nothing to diminish a goal-scoring record that still looks almost untouchable.