Brazil football legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento, famously called Pele, has died aged 82. His agent Joe Fraga confirmed his death. Widely regarded as one of football’s greatest players, Pele spent nearly two decades as the game’s most prolific scorer with Brazilian club Santos and the Brazil national team.

Since Pele retired, each new football star has been compared to the legend. But perhaps no one has left more arguments that the Pele of this generation, Lionel Messi. The Argentinian has been an extraordinary player for more than a decade now. After Messi won the World Cup in Qatar this month, the ailing Pele congratulated him on Instagram.

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Lionel Messi scored his 643rd goal for Barcelona on December 19, 2020, equalling Pele’s record of goals for a single club as the Catalan giants were held for a 2-2 draw by Valencia at Camp Nou, AFP reported.

Messi header from Jordi Alba’s cross after his first-half penalty was saved to equal the mark set by the Brazilian great for Santos.

But ‘La Pulga’ was left frustrated as a dogged Valencia forced a draw that leaves Barcelona eight points behind league leaders Atletico Madrid, who beat Elche 3-1 earlier in the day.

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Barcelona had a shaky start as they went a goal behind to Mouctar Diakhaby’s unchallenged header from a corner after half an hour.

Antoine Griezmann earned the penalty that ultimately led to Messi’s record-equalling goal when the Frenchman was nudged over by Jose Gaya.

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Although Messi’s spot-kick was saved by Jaume Domenech, the ball ricochetted and from Alba’s dinked cross, the Argentine tucked the ball into the net to draw level with Pele.

Barcelona went ahead thanks to a superb scissor kick from their Uruguayan centre-back Ronald Araujo.

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But Valencia’s pressure was rewarded when Maxi Gomez got in front of Barca central defender Oscar Mingueza to turn in a cross and equalise.

Philippe Coutinho drove a shot just wide with 12 minutes remaining and Messi curled a free-kick wide but Barcelona were forced to share the points.