One down, only one more to go. By scoring twice on his last match for Barcelona, Lionel Messi reached 76 goals in 2012. Not the all-time record, but good enough for second place, or the best among South American players.

He leaves behind Pele, with 75 goals and another bruise to the ego of the man who still considers himself as the greatest of all time and has Gerd Muller with 85(!!!) goals for club and country from 1972.

Messi’s chances? Not bad. Seeing as he scores, on average, more than a goal per game (20 goals in 17 matches this season for Barca, 12 goals in 8 matches for Argentina this year) and the fact that he has 12 matches left for the national side and his country, it’s reasonable to think that he’ll find a way to score at least nine goals and own another scoring record.

On the lighter side of Messi, although he must be seeing it a bit more seriously, is Argentina’s visit to Saudi Arabia, which led to an uncomfortable moment for the Argentinian star.

Yes, a gun, accidentally, pointed at Messi’s head while he and others were guarded from the adoring masses flocking the streets to see them. Welcome to the middle east.