Lionel Messi scored twice in Barcelona's 4-2 win against Mallorca, giving him 76 goals for club and country this calendar year. That puts Messi ahead of Pele's 75 goals in 1959 and only behind German legend Gerd Muller's 85 in 1972 (over just 60 matches).

Barcelona have nine matches left before 2013, so Messi still has some time to make a run at Muller's record. And as the first La Liga player to reach 15 goals in the first 11 matches of the season since 1950, he definitely has a chance.

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