Fifa has refused to get involved in the debate about who holds the world record for scoring the most goals in a year.

It was widely reported that Lionel Messi's 86th goal of 2012, which he scored on Sunday, surpassed a mark set by Germany's Gerd Mueller 40 years ago.

But the Zambian Football Association claimed Godfrey Chitalu had scored 107 goals for club and country in 1972.
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Fifa does not keep domestic records, so "it's not an official Fifa record", spokesman Alex Stone told BBC Sport.

The world governing body said that, given it only maintains statistics for the international competitions it runs, it is not possibly to ratify records from club football around the world.

"We don't have a database which details every football game played in every country from around the world since day one of their formation," Stone said.

"It's certainly nothing to do with bias - if we can confirm records from our tournaments we like doing that.

"It's the sort of data fans and the media like to see."

Stone confirmed that Fifa has not recognised Messi as holding the record.

"It's a record where someone in the media obviously collected statistics from somewhere and noticed Messi was about to pass that record


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20727929

Smart decision by FIFA. An attempt either way would have been misconstrued and given all sorts of connotations. Shame on the disgraceful people in the Zambian F.A who had to wait until Messi's achievements became celebrated before remembering Chitalu, they should bow their heads in shame.

86goals ko,107goals ni,,,what of me dat have scored 250goals in a yr on play station,,,abi fifa una no wan recognise am bah

solomonkane: Smart decision by FIFA. An attempt either way would have been misconstrued and given all sorts of connotations. Shame on the disgraceful people in the Zambian F.A who had to wait until Messi's achievements became celebrated before remembering Chitalu, they should bow their heads in shame.

You brought this out from inside me and posted it! Are you a thief?

solomonkane: Smart decision by FIFA. An attempt either way would have been misconstrued and given all sorts of connotations. Shame on the disgraceful people in the Zambian F.A who had to wait until Messi's achievements became celebrated before remembering Chitalu, they should bow their heads in shame.

Agreed.

I wan tel u a story

It makes no sense, messi record has already been set.

Gbamm over n out

Another one has resurfaced, and that is Great 'Zico' of Brazil which Brazilian media says scored 89 Goals in 1978 while playing for flamengo&Brazil. Question is why do they had to wait all this while before they could come with their crappy Bullshit? I know of Kalusha Bwalya in Zambia, even CAF has not even given any credence to Chitalu @ any point in time. Messi's feat is official in the Guinness Book of world record. Shame to Zambia, &their conspiracies!

Chitalu of Zambia is d record holder, but becos he's African fifa does not want to recognize him.
Shame on fifa!

Dis zimbanwa pple no dy shame....
M̶̲̥̅̊Ɣ master league in PES2013, M̶̲̥̅̊Ɣ striker Otam Iڪ about to hit his 159th goal this season and FIFA Iڪ not noticing that

FXKing2012: Chitalu of Zambia is d record holder, [b]but becos he's African [/b]fifa does not want to recognize him.
Shame on fifa!

As much as am a great fan of Messi, you know, I was tempted to think this at some point. Those guys can't be trusted

Me wey don score 309 goals for our street nkor

toluxa1:

As much as am a great fan of Messi, you know, I was tempted to think this at some point. Those guys can't be trusted

fifa has been too soft on racism which tells me d organization is filled wt racists. How do we then expect fifa to recognize a black man or African as d best in anything.

I have scored 120 goals in Ajah emirate field this year already, and I will stil score tomorrow morning ISA. I scored an average of 3 goals every weekend(Saturday and Sunday. I'm a deadly striker/winger (9,7 or 11)

But the Zambian Football Association claimed Godfrey Chitalu had scored 107 goals for club and country in 1972.
Play media

The world governing body said that, given it only maintains statistics for the international competitions it runs, it is not possibly to ratify records from club football around the world.

"We don't have a database which details every football game played in every country from around the world since day one of their formation," Stone said.[quote][/quote]

Because Zambia is Africa and African are black people so FIFA is telling us that they don't run and maintain statistics for club and country competitions in Zambia and Africa.

Also, they only have a data based for football games played in Europe and America and not in Africa.

Haba FEVER FIFA!

1 shortblackboy: Me wey don score 309 goals for our street nkor

oya travel go zurich go collect award from fifa sharp sharp. lol

goal.com is the source of all this hype

Fifa doesn't want to cause trouble

The name sounds like he hails from the South Eastern part of 9ja.

àccording to
Alex stone n I quot fifa dos nt kip domestic record,so dats nt a fifa record . But my questn is y do fifa hv d rite to ban players n clubs in d domestic leaque

Rashidi Yekini of blessed memory must have scored more at club level.

itz not a fifa record, itz a guiness record

toluxa1:

You brought this out from inside me and posted it! Are you a thief?

No na . It became necessary because some fluffy brained individuals would have ascribed whatever logical conclusions FIFA would have come to as racist like this one for example:

Rastamann: But the Zambian Football Association claimed Godfrey Chitalu had scored 107 goals for club and country in 1972.
Play media

The world governing body said that, given it only maintains statistics for the international competitions it runs, it is not possibly to ratify records from club football around the world.

"We don't have a database which details every football game played in every country from around the world since day one of their formation," Stone said.

Because Zambia is Africa and African are black people so FIFA is telling us that they don't run and maintain statistics for club and country competitions in Zambia and Africa.

Also, they only have a data based for football games played in Europe and America and not in Africa.

Haba FEVER FIFA!

.

FXKing2012: Chitalu of Zambia is d record holder, but becos he's African fifa does not want to recognize him.
Shame on fifa!

thats very correct, the status quo is that messi has that record.. if that guy was white or english you can expect that status quo to change...if fifa can't regulate football matters whats the point of having a football organisation??

Wise decision by FIFA in orde to absolve the organization of bias.

The football world governing body sets rules for d ever interesting game of soccer, they also oversee players, coaches, teams, referees and even fans! Does the declining to take cognizance mean chitalu's claim is false?
I would expect fifa to ask for d documentations, thoroughly examine them (& be tranparent abt it) and man up to truth. If chitalu indeed broke d record then credit to be given him posthumous

That seff self

No weapon fashioned against messi's record shall prosper!.....where were all these people for the past 40years that muller was being celebrated.......SMH

Btw ronaldo might be behind all this we may never know

Hahahahahaha am sure ronaldo we be jubilating where he his now.

FXKing2012:

fifa has been too soft on racism which tells me d organization is filled wt racists. How do we then expect fifa to recognize a black man or African as d best in anything.

george weah was recognised...it is Africa dat does nt keep record!