BARCELONA: Lionel Messi has played down the importance of individual achievements and said the key thing is for Barcelona to continue making history as a team after he became the La Liga club’s record scorer on Sunday.
A product of Barca’s academy and still only 26, Messi netted a hat-trick in their 7-0 drubbing of Osasuna at the Nou Camp, taking the Argentina forward’s tally to 371 goals and surpassing Paulino Alcantara’s mark of 369 set between 1912 and 1927.
Messi’s latest treble means he is only one goal short of equalling Hugo Sanchez’s La Liga goals total of 234 to join the former Mexico striker in second on the all-time list and is closing in on record marksman Telmo Zarra, who scored 251.
“The important thing is that the team continues to make history,” Messi said in an interview on Barca’s TV channel on Monday.
“This group of players has won everything and deserves to continue achieving important things,” he added.
“It’s an honour to be able to be part of the history of such a great club.”
Messi appears to be hitting top form at just the right time with Barca through to the last eight of the Champions League and next month’s King’s Cup final, when they will play Real in a repeat of the 2011 showpiece.