Lionel Messi passes 100-goal mark

• Reuters, Sunday, November 21, 2010 6:34 PM

Lionel Messi, Barcelona's 23-year-old Argentine attacker, scored a hat trick in last weekend's 8-0 win at Almeria to raise his career total to 101 in 154 La Liga games.

Messi, who has netted in each of Barcelona's last eight games, has 13 La Liga goals this season, two less than Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, who also hit a hat trick last weekend. Ronaldo scored in the run of play, from a free kick and from the penalty spot in Real's 5-1 win over Athletic Bilbao.

Real Madrid leads Barcelona by one point at the top of the standings. The archrivals meet on Nov. 29.

Messi is only the fourth Barcelona player to pass the 100-goal mark.

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