Before Lionel Messi started coming close to Gerd Muller's record of 85 goals in a calendar year there weren't many people who had heard of that particular statistic. Since it covers parts of two different European club seasons it's an unusual figure to tout. But the closer Messi got to the record, the more it was written about and the more readers it drew in, the more important it became. And when Messi inevitably topped the record, it became another well-deserved reason to sing his praises to his delighted legion of pageviewing fans and admirers.

But now that the chase for Muller's record is finished, what lesser known marks will Messi claim next? Here are several that he's quickly approaching...

-Goals scored on Tuesday nights, between the hours of 7 pm and 11 pm over three non-consecutive years. (Current holder: Forgotten English legend Bert Tiddle -- 97 goals)

-Person most referred to as "diminutive." (Current holder: Actor Verne Troyer -- 658,000 times)

-The name Cristiano Ronaldo hears most just before he falls asleep at night. (Current holder: His own -- 4,332 times)

-Most smiles. (Current holder: Dr. Art Cleeland, an American dentist with an addiction to nitrous oxide -- 8.3 million smiles)

-Lego playsets assembled to completion while flying on private jets. (Current holder: Corey Feldman -- 249 playset)

-The player most reminded that he has never won a World Cup. (Current holder: Johan Cruyff -- 313,000 mentions)

-All-time goals scored in video games. (Current holder: Emile Heskey [being used ironically] -- 112 billion goals)