Messi Becomes First Player In Nearly 40 Years To Hit 500 Goals For One Club

Lionel Messi scored his 500th goal for Barcelona in style, catapulting Barca back into La Liga's title race at the expense of their greatest rivals, Real Madrid. His historic feat is all the more impressive considering that Gerd Muller of Bayern Munich was the last player to score 500 goals for one club. He left Bayern in 1979. 

Scoring club goal #500 to beat your rival in their stadium followed by an amazing celly = WOW#ElClasico #Messipic.twitter.com/xYi7Pmv6Pp

— Geoffrey Blosat (@GeoffTBlosat) April 23, 2017

Messi joined Muller and six others as the only players to net 500 goals with one team. In the age of record transfer fees and enormous salaries, it's increasingly rare to see elite players stay with one club during their entire professional careers. Even if he does eventually return to Argentina for his swan song, he should have plenty of time remaining with Barca to challenge Pele's record of 643 goals with Santos FC of Brazil.

Related: The Players With The Most Career Goals In Soccer History