Highlights

The USA U-17s beat England 3-1 Friday

Cristiano Ronaldo may be the odds-on favorite to win the Ballon d’Or, but Lionel Messi is not going out without a fight. 

Messi scored hat-trick and added a scoring record to the annals of his personal achievement, and he has made a habit of doing both of those things recently. Just over the weekend, Messi scored another hat-trick and broke a different scoring record. Then it was La Liga’s scoring record, now it is the Champion’s League’s all-time scoring record.

In fact, every time that Lionel Messi has broken a scoring record, he has done it while scoring a hat-trick.

After his team upset Greece in the EURO 2016 qualifiers, Faroe Islands captain Fróði Benjaminsen returned home to get back to work as a carpenter.

Mexico has beaten Holland.

That headline would have mattered so much more, oh, say, 4 months and 13 days ago, but alas, time moves on and less meaningful friendlies are played. The victory may be "meaningless" for Mexico, but who scored the goals that ensured it is anything but.

Carlos Vela is back.

This "classic" (a.k.a. old) match is either a demolition derby or a sporting event, you be the judge.

We usually get excited when a team scores 5 goals, but 31? That just seems a little selfish, doesn’t it? That, however, is exactly the number of times that Australia scored against American Somoa during a qualifying game way back in 2001. 

This week’s Champions League action featured a record breaking performance of 40 goals in one match day. This was aided by Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Shakhtar’s six and seven goal advantages, but even beyond these matches it was goal-fest on grounds across Europe. One of the best performances of the week came from Luiz Adriano. The Shakhtar Donetsk player had a hat-trick in the first 40 minutes and finished the match with a whopping 5 goals. Below is a video of all 40 goals for your viewing pleasure. 

There's perhaps nothing more satisfying (or heartbreaking, depending which side of the goal you're on) than the last-minute goal in futbol. It's actually amazing how often those last few minutes of extra time yield the game winner or equalizer. It's as if during that several minute stretch, the laws of physics and normal match play no longer apply, and free kicks fly further, corners magically find their way to the head or foot of players in mid-air, and entire stadiums hold their breath - waiting to exhale in either celebration or utter defeat.

Soccer is a game of possibility. You never know what's going to happen next. Goals can be scored in so many different ways, and not all goals were created equal. So, let’s take a look at what separates mere goals from legends. 

1. The Volley

Oh how you tease me, ball in the air. How I have felt you rocket off my foot absolutely perfectly…only to fly 30 yards over the bar.