Messi, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho: Who had the most goals+assists in each calendar year? | OneFootball

Lionel Messi has been at his brilliant best for Barcelona in 2021.

The Argentine currently has 28 goals and nine assists to his name in just 29 appearances across all club competitions this year.

He's three goal contributions ahead of both Kylian Mbappe and Erling Braut Haaland going into the 2021/22 season.

If Messi can continue his stellar form for Barcelona and finish the year top of the list, it will be far from the first time he has done so.

The 34-year-old has achieved the feat many times in the 21st century and we've provided the evidence of that fact for you to view below, with all stats sourced from Transfermarkt.

So let's take a look at which player reigned supreme in terms of goals and assists combined across all competitions in each of the 21 completed years since the turn of the millennium...

Jack Grealish to Man City ADVANCED | Football Terrace

2000 | Thierry Henry (Arsenal) - 42

Games: 44

Goals: 26

Assists: 16

2001 | Raul Gonzalez (Real Madrid) - 53

Games: 58

Goals: 41

Assists: 12

2002 | Thierry Henry (Arsenal) - 44

Games: 52

Goals: 27

Assists: 17

2003 | Thierry Henry (Arsenal) - 59

Games: 51

Goals: 31

Assists: 28

2004 | Thierry Henry (Arsenal) - 59

Games: 53

Goals: 43

Assists: 16

2005 | Dirk Kuyt (Feyenoord) - 50

Games: 37

Goals: 32

Assists: 18

2006 | Ronaldinho (Barcelona) - 44

Games: 44

Goals: 24

Assists: 20

2007 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) - 49

Games: 50

Goals: 29

Assists: 20

2008 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) - 45

Games: 48

Goals: 33

Assists: 12

2009 | Luis Suarez (Ajax) - 62

Games: 43

Goals: 42

Assists: 20

2010 | Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 77

Games: 54

Goals: 58

Assists: 19

2011 | Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 81

Games: 54

Goals: 52

Assists: 29

2012 | Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 106

Games: 60

Goals: 79

Assists: 27

2013 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) - 77

Games: 50

Goals: 59

Assists: 18

2014 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) - 79

Games: 48

Goals: 54

Assists: 25

2015 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) - 71

Games: 51

Goals: 52

Assists: 19

2016 | Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 79

Games: 51

Goals: 51

Assists: 28

2017 | Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 69

Games: 57

Goals: 50

Assists: 19

2018 | Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 73

Games: 49

Goals: 47

Assists: 26

2019 | Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 62

Games: 48

Goals: 45

Assists: 17

2020 | Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) - 60

Games: 39

Goals: 45

Assists: 15

Before 2010, no player in the 21st century had contributed to 70 or more goals in a single year.

But then Messi and Ronaldo went into superhuman mode, producing attacking output over 12-month periods that just shouldn't be possible.

Messi's record of 106 goal contributions in 2012 is one that won't be equalled or surpassed for decades to come.

The Argentine has finished top of the pile in seven of the 21 completed years in the 21st century thus far, with Ronaldo doing so on five occasions.

ENTER GIVEAWAY

Henry isn't far behind with four first-place finishes to his name, which is yet more proof that the Frenchman is one of the greatest players in history.

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Danny Ryan

Interested in: Arsenal, Barcelona, Boxing

Danny Ryan is a Senior Writer and Boxing Lead at GiveMeSport. He's had the pleasure of interviewing the likes of Tyson Fury, Gary Lineker, Amir Khan, Lennox Lewis, Joe Root, David Haye, Frank Warren, Kell Brook & Joseph Parker. He once got Eoin Morgan to commentate on THAT Super Over and is an above average FIFA player.