Lionel Messi was on target for Paris Saint Germain in their UEFA Champions League encounter against Club Brugge in the final group stage game of the season. The Argentine netted a brace in the Parisians 4-1 win over the Belgium giants which saw him overtake Brazilian legend Pele in the goal-scoring charts, trailing only his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo on the list. Lionel Messi & Kylian Mbappe's Brace Leads PSG To 4-1 Win Club Brugge in UCL 2021-22.

Lionel Messi netted on either side of half-time to lead his team to a routine win as they finished a point behind reigning English champions Manchester City in Group A of the Champions League. The Argentine’s first goal was his career’s 757th – a number that took him on level with Pele’s tally – before he scored another to overtake the Brazilian legend. Robert Lewandowski Admits to Having a ‘Feeling of Sadness’ After Missing Out on Ballon d’Or 2021 Title, Hopes That Lionel Messi’s Supportive Words Were Genuine.

The Paris Saint Germain star is now the highest-scoring South American footballer of all time with 758 career goals, climbing second on to the leading scorer’s list with Manchester United star and long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo at the summit with 801 career strikes, a feat he achieved last week against Arsenal.

Out of his 758 career goals, Lionel Messi has scored 672 times for Barcelona – the most for a single club by the player. Since his move to PSG, the Argentine has added another six to his tally alongside his 80 goals for the national team.

Speaking of the game, Paris Saint Germain were dominant against Club Brugge registering a comfortable win to end the group campaign on a high. Kylian Mbappe also netted a brace, surpassing his Argentine compatriot to become the youngest scorer to reach 30 goals in the competition.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 08, 2021 10:50 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).