Argentine footballing sensation Lionel Messi has notched up two new goalscoring records within a week to add his burgeoning collection of Guinness World Records titles.

Saturday saw the 27-year-old surpass Telmo Zarra as the all-time top scorer in La Liga.

The Barcelona forward netted a hat-trick against Sevilla on Saturday to chalk up 253 goals in the Spanish top flight - two more than Zarra who had held the record for almost 60 years.

It took Messi just 289 games to reach the record, his first goal coming on 1 May 2005 against Albacete.

Lionel Messi celebrates with Barcelona teammates

Messi celebrates with his Barcelona teammates at full-time after setting the record in their match against Sevilla

Breaking down Messi’s goals, 210 were scored from open play, 11 were free kicks and 32 were penalties – of those 210 open play goals 39 were with his right foot while 9 were headers.  

He has now scored 18 times against Sevilla, his favourite victim. Saturday’s trio of goals was his 20th La Liga treble,  a feat which sees him close in on another of Zarra´s records - most hat-tricks in a La Liga career – a title held jointly with Alfredo Di Stefano and Cristiano Ronaldo who all registered 22 hat-tricks.

Slow-motion fan footage of Messi's record-breaking strike against Sevilla on Saturday

Click the player below to watch FC Barcelona's video tribute to Messi following the La Liga record-breaking feat.

Earlier this month, Messi equaled former Real Madrid forward Raúl’s record for the most goals scored in a Champions League career after he bagged a brace against Ajax to propel him to 71 goals in Europe’s premier competition.

Last night saw the “Pulga” take the title outright after netting a hat-trick in Barcelona's 4-0 victory against Cypriot side Apoel Nicosia.

After Luis Suarez had opened the scoring for the away side, Messi diverted Rafinha's 38th-minute shot past the keeper.

He bagged his second in the 58th-minute with a low right-foot finish before tapping home from close range in the 87th minute to extend his Champions League goalscoring record to 74.

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