Lionel Messi turns on the style to seal La Liga goalscoring record
Messi shatters leading goalscorer mark with hat-trick for Barcelona
Lionel Messi thanked teammates and coaches past and present after becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in La Liga with a hat-trick in Barca's 5-1 demolition of Sevilla at the weekend.
The 27-year-old Argentine's opener brought him level with Telmo Zarra on 251 goals in just his 289th appearance in the Spanish top flight.
Messi then went on to score his side's fourth and fifth goals to register his 27th Barcelona hat-trick and put him out in front as the leading marksmen in the history of Spanish football.
I couldn't imagine I could break any record, let alone this one previously held by the great Telmo Zarra
"When I scored this goal, I couldn't imagine I could break any record, let alone this one previously held by the great Telmo Zarra," he wrote on his official Facebook page alongside his first Barca goal against Albacete in May, 2005. "I was only able to achieve this because of the support I have had from so many people during my time here and I would like to dedicate this achievement to you all.
"Thanks for always being with me. I would also like to dedicate this to the people who are no longer with us any more. I will never forget you. Thank you everyone for standing with me."
Barca boss Luis Enrique has only been coaching the four-time world player of the year a few months, but believes he will go down as the best of all time.
"He is a unique and unrepeatable player," said Enrique, who hailed his side's display as one of the best in his short tenure.