It’s remarkable how many records Lionel Messi still holds, and while top stars like Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and Harry Kane have approached some of them, surpassing Messi remains a monumental challenge. This time, the trio of elite forwards fell short of one of Messi’s historic marks set during his Barcelona days.
Messi’s career is a catalog of soccer milestones that are truly staggering. One of his most notable achievements has become nearly insurmountable, even for the next generation’s best. During the 2012-13 La Liga season, Messi didn’t just dominate—he transcended the sport, scoring in 21 consecutive league matches, the longest scoring streak in the history of Europe’s top leagues.
Across those 21 games, Messi netted 33 goals and became the first player to score against every opponent in a single season. He finished the campaign with 46 league goals, guiding Barcelona to 100 points under Tito Vilanova’s leadership.
It was an era defined by absolute dominance: four consecutive Ballon d’Or awards, 91 goals in a single calendar year, and consistency that turned elite soccer into his personal playground. Messi’s achievements during this period solidified his legacy as one of the greatest in the history of the sport.
Lionel Messi celebrating a goal for Barcelona.
Haaland’s streak ends
Erling Haaland’s 12-game scoring streak ended abruptly when Manchester City fell 1-0 to Aston Villa. The City’s first defeat since August 31 came courtesy of Matty Cash’s decisive strike, according to BBC Sport. Haaland even put the ball in the net in the closing minutes, but the goal was ruled offside, ending his hopes of challenging Messi’s record this season.
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Mbappe and Kane fall short
Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe’s 11-game streak came to an end against Juventus. The French star has been unstoppable with Real Madrid, scoring 43 goals in 44 appearances in 2025, yet even that level of consistency was not enough to threaten Messi’s historic mark.
Harry Kane’s 10-game scoring streak for Bayern Munich ended in a 3-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach. Despite scoring 20 goals in his first 13 matches, Kane fell short, though German media described his start to the season as “career-best.” Three elite strikers. Three record chases. All ended the same way.
To put Messi’s record in perspective, scoring in more than 10 consecutive matches is extraordinary in elite soccer. In the context of the Premier League, the record for consecutive scoring matches is 11, set by Jamie Vardy in the 2015-16 season—exactly half of Messi’s streak. The closest any European player has come to this mark was Gerd Müller, who scored in 16 consecutive Bundesliga matches more than half a century ago.
