Lionel Messi closing in on 500 goals for Barcelona and Argentina

Barcelona's Lionel Messi is closing in on another remarkable goalscoring milestone.

The Argentine's goal in Wednesday's 3-1 win over Arsenal was his 498th for club and country, putting him just two short of the 500-mark ahead of Sunday's La Liga meeting with Villarreal.

Messi's tally includes an astonishing total of 449 goals in 519 games since breaking into Barcelona's first team back in 2004, with the remaining 49 coming in 105 appearances for Argentina.

The 28-year-old's most prolific season came in 2011/12, when he netted a jaw-dropping 82 times for club and country, and he has surpassed the 60-mark in two of the last three campaigns.

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With ten goals in his last six appearances for Barcelona, Messi is unlikely to have to wait long to bring up the 500.

As Messi nears his next milestone, we break down the numbers behind his stunning scoring record…

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