Football legend Pele praises Barcelona superstar Messi

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) – World famous football legend Pele on Saturday congratulated Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi as the 33-year-old equaled the ex-Brazil forward's goal-scoring record for a single club.

In his Instagram post, Pele praised Barcelona skipper Messi for reaching this milestone.

With his goal against Valencia tonight, Messi has scored 643 goals for a single club, equaling the record of Pele, who had scored the goals for Brazil's Santos.

"When your heart overflows with love, it is difficult to change your path. Like you, I know what it's like to love wearing the same shirt every day. Like you, I know that there is nothing better than the place we feel at home. Congratulations on your historic record, Lionel. But above all, congratulations on your beautiful career in Barcelona. Stories like ours, of loving the same club for so long, unfortunately, will be increasingly rare in football. I admire you very much, @leomessi," Pele wrote on social media.

Messi has dedicated his entire career to Barcelona, racking up 643 goals and 282 assists in 747 matches for the Spanish club.

A Barcelona player for more than a decade, Messi has helped his team win 10 La Liga and four Champions League titles, most recently in 2015.