league’s highest-ever scorer and assist
leader, and smashed a number of records
for Barcelona. He arguably had the best
season any footballer has enjoyed when
he scored 91 goals in 2012. Years later and
he is still as integral to Barca, having been
crowned the world’s best on a record sixth
occasion in 2019.
Few can come close to the goalscoring
feats of Ronaldo and Messi, but in the
Bundesliga Robert Lewandowski is carving
out a name for himself as one of the
league’s greatest ever goalscorers. He has
set records tumbling this season, being
the first to score in the first 11 Bundesliga
games of the season, and in doing so
besting Muller’s mark of 15 goals in that
time.The Poland international has gained
notoriety not just for scoring copious
amounts of goals, but doing it very
quickly. We’re talking minutes for Lewi to
completely change the complexion of a
game.
In 2015 he came off the bench to score
five goals inside nine minutes to turn a
1-0 deficit into an easy victory against
Wolfsburg, and setting world records in the
process. Just this season in the Champions
League he put for past Red Star Belgrade
in 15 minutes.
Reaching Muller’s mark of 365 Bundesliga
goals will prove tough, but one that may
be within his grasp is Der Bomber’s record
of 41 goals in a season, with 22 goals for
Lewandowski after 20 matches.FIVE
UNWANTED
FOOTBALL
RECORDS
Not every record is wanted by its
holder. Daryl Hammond spotlights five
record holders who’d probably rather
stay in the dark...MOST OWN GOALS IN ONE GAME –
THREE, STAN VAN DEN BUYS
Not the kind of hat-trick the Germinal
Ekeren player was looking for when he
scored all three for Anderlecht in 1995.
Worse still, the third was credited to
him though the ball appeared to take its
final touch from an Anderlecht player.FASTEST RED CARD – TWO SECONDS,
LEE TODD
Lower league footballer Lee Todd – then
of Cross Farm Park Celtic – was sent
off after two seconds of a 2000 game
against Taunton East Reach Wanderers.
As the story goes, Todd’s expletive-
ridden response to the referee’s loud
whistle at kick-off earned him a swift
red card.MOST CAREER RED CARDS – 46,
GERARDO BEDOYA
Former Colombia international Gerardo
Bedoya was rarely out of trouble on
the pitch, his 20-year career frequently
interrupted by suspension as he saw
red 46 times. He was also banned for
15 games as the result of one on-field
‘incident’ that saw Bedoya elbow and
then kick a rival. Infamous in South
America for his disciplinary record (or
lack thereof), he even continued his
penchant for red cards getting sent off
on his coaching debut.MOST PENALTIES MISSED IN ONE
GAME – THREE, MARTIN PALERMO
In a 1999 Copa America game that
saw referee Ubaldo Aquino award five
penalties, Argentina forward Martin
Palermo suffered the ignominy of
missing three. Stubbornly insistent on
taking ever spot kick, he smacked the
bar, blazed over and saw a meek effort
saved as La Albiceleste lost 3-0 to
Colombia.LONGEST WINLESS RUN IN THE
PREMIER LEAGUE - 1,370 DAYS - JACK
RODWELL
The former England midfielder went 39
games over nearly four years between
his time with Manchester City and
Sunderland without winning a league
match. A 4-0 win over Crystal Palace
lifted the curse, but brought further
misery as he came off injured at half
time.TOP:
Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi
Buffon is still setting records in
his early 40s
TOP RIGHT:
Gerardo Bedoya
BOTTOM:
Sergio Aguero’s achievements
aren’t given the prominence
they deserve