Lionel Messi received a late birthday gift on Tuesday as he netted against Atletico Madrid to mark the 700th goal of his professional career.
Messi, who turned 33 on June 24, converted after 50 minutes to put his team 2-1 ahead against Diego Simeone's side.
He reached the milestone with consummate style as well, dinking a panenka penalty over Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak. The Slovenia international dived early and was powerless to prevent the strike from crossing the line.
In doing so he joins a select group of football legends who have earned a place in the 700 club.
Juventus and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo is the only current player other than Messi to have reached the landmark, boasting 725 strikes in 1002 professional appearances for Sporting, Manchester United, Real Madrid, the Bianconeri and his national team.
Leo, however, has broken 700 in just 860 matches between Barcelona and Argentina, more than 100 fewer than his former Clasico rival at Madrid needed to reach the same figure.
Czech-Austrian idol Josef Bican holds the all-time record for goals scored in competitive football, having hit 805 in a career that spanned almost three decades and included spells at Rapid Vienna, Slavia Prague and both the Austrian and Czechoslovak national teams.
Behind Bican lie another Barca favourite, Romario (772/994), Pele (767/831), Hungary legend Ferenc Puskas (746/754), Germany's Gerd Muller (735/793) and Ronaldo (725/1002).
