The date Dec. 9, 2012 "will go down in history" as the day LIONEL MESSI tied, then surpassed the historic record of goals in a calendar year, according to MUNDO DEPORTIVO. Messi scored his 85th and 86th goals in Barcelona's 2-1 win vs. Real Betis on Sunday. Messi surpassed GERD MÜLLER's record of 85 goals in '72 (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 12/9). The London TELEGRAPH wrote that Müller's mark "stood for 40 years" until Sunday when Messi netted his 85th and 86th goals "of an incredible 2012" (TELEGRAPH, 12/10). SPORT1 reported that Müller was one of the first to congratulate Messi. Müller said, "My record stood for 40 years -- 85 goals in 60 games -- and now the best player in the world has broken it, and I'm delighted for him. He is an incredible player, gigantic." He added, He's such a nice and modest professional, and I hope he gets one or two more goals in 2012 and that he can then hold onto the record for the next 40 years. He's fantastic. He only has one defect and that is that he doesn't play for Bayern Munich!" (SPORT1, 12/10).
