Organised football began in 1863, with the first match played under Football Associated rules held on January 9th that year. Since then, we’ve seen some incredible displays of sportsmanship and impressive performances.
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Certain players have set records during their careers, making their mark in the history books. From Lionel Messi’s unbeatable goal tally to Gerardo Bedoya’s collection of red cards, we take a look at some of the most famous records in football history.
Most Goals in a Calendar Year – Lionel Messi
Messi needs no introduction. The Argentinian is one of the most respected players in the world. While he likely has enough awards on his mantelpiece, one record in particular stands out from the rest.
In 2012, Messi ended the year on a whopping 91 goals, beating the previous 85 goals scored by Gerd Muller in 1972. Messi was able to achieve this in just 69 appearances for both club and country, including 79 goals for Barça and 12 for his national team.
He also holds the title for most goals scored for a single club. Overtaking Pele’s long-standing and much-debated record of 646 goals, Messi scored 672 times for Barcelona before moving to Paris Saint-Germain.
Most Premier League Clean Sheets – Petr Cech
An ex-goalkeeper now turned ice hockey player, Cech certainly had a successful career, winning the Premier League four times and the Champions League once.
During his time playing for Chelsea and Arsenal, Cech kept a staggering 202 clean sheets – 163 of them for the Blues, surpassing the previous record held by Peter Bonetti. This led to him receiving the Golden Glove award for the top-flight’s most clean sheets in a season on four separate occasions.
Most Goals for a Single English Club in Major European Competitions – Mo Salah
Mohamed Salah has become one of Liverpool’s all-time leading scorers. Among his many achievements, Salah holds the record for the most goals scored by a player for a single English club in major European competitions. His 43rd goal for the Reds came in the second half of Liverpool’s Europa League match against Toulouse in October 2023, which ultimately saw them win 5-1.
Salah’s ability to score so successfully has established him as one of the world’s top forwards. This has also made his football shirt highly sought after and Liverpool’s best-selling name for the last few years.
Oldest Player to Captain a Champions League Team – Paolo Maldini
On February 20, 2008, Maldini set the record as the oldest player to captain a team in the Champions League. He was 39 years and 239 days old when he led AC Milan out to face Arsenal.
This was after he had already secured the title in 2007 after beating Liverpool in Greece in the Champions League final that year.
Youngest Goalscorer in a World Cup Final – Pele
Pele remains one of the greatest players of all time, winning three World Cups – a milestone no one else has achieved. At just 17 years old, ‘The King’ scored two goals in the 1958 World Cup final win against Sweden. This performance helped Brazil secure their first World Cup and marked the arrival of Pele as a football icon.
Most Expensive Transfer – Neymar
While not necessarily a direct reflection of his performance, Neymar’s transfer from Barcelona to PSG was certainly no small feat. PSG activated the €222 million buyout clause in his Barca contract in 2017, making it the highest transfer fee ever paid in football history.
Neymar took the title from Paul Pogba who cost Manchester United €105 million in 2016. No player has come even close since, and it’s likely to be a while until anyone does.
Most Red Cards – Gerardo Bedoya
Getting the most red cards is probably the least desired record on this list. However, with a total of 46 red cars throughout his career, Bedoya takes the title.
His aggressive and occasionally violent playing style earned him the reputation as the ‘world’s dirtiest footballer’. The most infamous dismissal of them all occurred while he was representing Independiente Santa Fe in the Bogota Derby. He elbowed and kicked Millonarios player Jhonny Ramirez, receiving a 15-game ban – and it wasn’t the last time he would be sent off!
Regardless of this, he has still had a highly successful career in the sport, having been a key part of Colombia’s only major footballing victory at the Copa America in 2001.
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