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They say records are made to be broken, and although that might very well be true in a lot of cases, it certainly doesn't mean it’s ever an easy feat to accomplish. Down through the seasons, there have been some terrific achievements in the world of football.Whether it’s been Roy Makaay’s fastest-ever goal in the Champions League after only 10 seconds for Bayern Munich against Real Madrid back in 2007, Geoff Hurst’s astonishing hat-trick in the 1966 World Cup final against West Germany or, Rogerio Ceni’s record of over 120 goals as a goalkeeper – there’s rarely been a shortage of unique personal successes to satisfy our need to be wowed and thrilled.Records that have continued to defy our expectations and stand the test of time are always spectacles to be admired, but it’s true they also serve yet another purpose. Acting as summits to be climbed and obstacles to be overcome, these are the challenges that the kings of the beautiful game strive to overcome season after season.We take a run through six records that could very well get smashed to pieces this season.
#1 Most La Liga goals scored in a season
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Is there anything Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo can’t do (aside from winning the World Cup, obviously)? Seemingly impossible to stop when in full flight on the ball, as well as in the record books, this deadly duo continue to compete with each other for the capture of mind-boggling statistic after statistic, and the chase for this particular crown is sure to prove as enthralling as ever once again this season.
Sure, the Argentine artist is already in the hunt to score the most goals ever in a single La Liga season, but considering the form he produced in the second half of last season, it’s really easy to see why he will push hard to break his own record again.
The same can definitely be said of Ronaldo as well. Consumed with the push to be the best forward of his generation, he won’t want to watch on in vain to see La Pulga swat him aside once more.
Without question, these two icons of the game will shade and colour every chapter of the next nine months as the Spanish title looks, once more, to be contested by the behemoths of Barcelona and Real Madrid. And it will be through the boots of these two geniuses that they will do so.
Dominating the charts, Messi and Ronaldo are easily the best two players on the planet. To put their incredible performances into perspective, they are the only players to get past the 40-goal mark in a single season, and they have done so consistently, too.
| # | Player | Season | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | 2011/12 | 50 |
| 2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 2014/15 | 48 |
| 3 | Lionel Messi | 2012/13 | 46 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 2011/12 | 46 | |
| 5 | Lionel Messi | 2014/15 | 43 |
| 6 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 2010/11 | 40 |
#2 Most goals scored in a single EPL season
There are more than enough top quality strikers in the Premier League this season. Some even stand the chance of joining an impressive company of forwards who have netted 30 goals and more in a 38-game season, but it’s Diego Costa and Sergio Aguero who are, once again, the most likely of candidates – especially considering what they managed to achieve during their most recent campaign.
Both are the spearheads of their respective teams, and they are both gushing with confidence right now. Each enjoyed a tremendous goal rush against so many English clubs, and the same looks like happening once more between now and next May.
Of course, Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane could very well go on to have an impressive second season, too, but the odds are stacked firmly against him as he does not have an impressive midfield to play a supporting role which will surely count against his industrious endeavours. Add this to the fact that he was a surprise package last season, and it’s possible defences will have wizened up to his style of play and could well be more familiar with the manner in which he likes to attack.
That said, “Hurrikane” has proven his natural ability and if anyone is going to become the first Englishman in over 15 years to take home the golden boot, it’s got to be Kane.
Consistency will be the key to each star’s attempt to go beyond the 31-goal mark, but it will require a lot more than just that, as luck will have to play its part, too.
Avoiding injury, suspension and other misfortunes along the way will all play their part in the story of this season, but this trio of magicians really do have what it takes to go all the way, and it’s going to be a pleasure drinking it all in, that’s for sure.
| # | Player | Club | Season | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alan Shearer | Blackburn Rovers | 1995/96 | 31 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United | 2007/08 | 31 | |
| Luis Suarez | Liverpool | 2013/14 | 31 | |
| 4 | Kevin Phillips | Sunderland | 1999/00 | 30 |
| Thierry Henry | Arsenal | 2003/04 | 30 | |
| Robin van Persie | Arsenal | 2011/12 | 30 |
#3 Ronaldo to become Real Madrid\'s all-time top goalscorer
Having already outstripped Raul in the Champions League all-time list of goalscorers, Ronaldo now has his sights on moving past him on an even bigger scale – by becoming the highest-scoring Real Madrid player ever.
The joint-top scorer in European football history is currently level with his long-standing rival Lionel Messi on 77 strikes, but he is still to overtake Raul as the club’s greatest marksman; what a title that would be to hold.
The Portugal international has a stonking 313 goals for Los Blancos across all competitions while Raul has bagged an overwhelming 323, which means it’s probably not going to take long before the current Ballon d’Or holder overtakes the diminutive ex-striker in the scoring stakes.
Although it may well only be a matter of time before the transition is complete, it certainly promises to be enthralling watching him take on the task, and there’s not much doubt that he will wrap it all up before 2016 rolls into view. Perhaps most amazingly of all, though, is the fact he will manage to complete the feat in under half the amount of games in which his predecessor managed it.
| Position | Player | No. of goals |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Raul | 323 |
| #2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 313 |
| #3 | Alfredo di Stefano | 307 |
| #4 | Carlos Santillana | 289 |
#4 Most EPL assists in one season
The modern game is awash with classy midfielders who possess endless amounts of gravitas, poise and professionalism; players who seem capable of forming an impenetrable bond between themselves and the ball. Gliding effortlessly through the channels, they often find some extra time which enables them to pick out pockets of empty space and teammates hungry to test opposing goalkeepers.
Cesc Fabregas is one such player.
It’s likely that the Spain international will not only go on to become one of the best creative minds the game will ever see, but he will have the statistics to back the claim up, too.
En route to solidifying his status, he is so close to becoming the first-ever player to record over 15 assists in three Premier League seasons. A king of the assists, he looks more at home in the British top flight than he has ever done anywhere else, including his time with Barcelona in La Liga.
Indeed, the 28-year-old will likely have his sights set firmly on overtaking an Arsenal legend as he looks to confirm his status as one of the best creative minds the league has ever seen. Thierry Henry currently holds the record for the highest number of assists notched in one season when he grabbed 20 at the peak of his powers. Last season Fabregas got pretty close to finally surpassing the footballer-turned-TV-pundit, but his usual New Year downturn certainly inhibited his progress.
Still, Fabregas has a long way to go before he can claim to be as good as Ryan Giggs, who has as many as 162 EPL assists – the most ever.
| Position | Player | Club | Season | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thierry Henry | Arsenal | 2002/03 | 20 |
| 2 | Frank Lampard | Chelsea | 2004/05 | 18 |
| Cesc Fabregas | Chelsea | 2014/15 | 18 | |
| 3 | Cesc Fabregas | Arsenal | 2007/08 | 17 |
| 4 | Eric Cantona | Leeds & Man Utd | 1992/93 | 16 |
#5 Bayern Munich to win 4th consecutive Bundesliga title?
No club has ever won four Bundesliga titles in a row. Bayern Munich might just rectify that very soon.
Having won the last three domestic German titles, Die Roten have been the domineering superpower in the country, and they’ve rarely looked susceptible to weakness, having grown into a hugely successful team. Now, with a record fourth crown on the line, manager Pep Guardiola has the exciting task of guiding them to a historic season.
The forward-thinking boss is unlikely to sit back and aim just for that, though, as he is rarely been one to set his sights too low. That said, despite the fact Bayern have easily been the best team in the land for the past number of years, the fact that four consecutive championships have never been captured before goes some way to illuminating just how taxing an undertaking it really is.
Since 1963, when the Bundesliga was first introduced, they have struggled to capture that elusive number four. In fact, the last time they came closest was following their trio of victories between 1998/99 and 2000/01 (which included a double in 1999/2000). The upcoming campaign promises to be one of their toughest yet as there has arguably been a steady decline since Jupp Heynckes left his post back in 2013 which has seen them go from imposing treble winners to only domestic champions.
Indeed, they won the title by a margin of 25 points during the 2012/13 season, but have since seen that gradually reduced to 19 points and, most recently of all, 10 points from season to season. So, the gap has certainly been reduced between them and the chasing pack.
Will they have enough in the tank to create history?
| Position | Team | No. of consecutive titles | No. of times achieved |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bayern Munich | 3 | 3 |
| 2 | Borussia Monchengladbach | 3 | 1 |
| 3 | Bayern Munich | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | Borussia Dortmund | 2 | 2 |
| 5 | Borussia Monchengladbach | 2 | 1 |
| 6 | Hamburger SV | 2 | 1 |
#6 Record number of consecutive victories
The Champions League has long been the benchmark of success in European football. Ever since the European Cup was revamped and rebranded back in 1992, it has shone as the continent’s best and most illustrious of club competitions, bigger and more respected than the Europa League.
No team has ever managed to retain the title down through the years; a testament to how difficult it is to win. Yet there are breadcrumbs to be had from its table, such as the prospect of bettering the record of consecutive victories which currently stands at 10. Jointly held by Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, it is an impressive accolade to hold.
Qualifiers aside, the maximum number of matches a team will play in the competition proper in a season is 13 (6 group stage matches, 2 each in RO16, Q/F, S/F and 1 final) which would guarantee the title for any team, so it is certainly something to be aimed for. But to win every match this campaign would set up any club for a tilt at making their way into the history books.
What’s more, it could form part of another wonderful achievement: Ever since 29 May 1972, world-renowned Dutch club Ajax have boasted the incredible record of the highest number of consecutive competitive victories, and it’s one that could very well get broken soon, with the right fire-power.
Notching up as many as 26 straight wins across the Eredivisie, European Cup and Dutch Cup, the most successful club in Dutch history became the sole holders of a tremendously unique exploit with the likes of Johann Cruyff on board.
Who will decimate either of these records? We’ll just have to wait and see.
