Messi scores goal number one in 2012 - a headed beauty against Osasuna. The goal set the little football genuis on course for a record-breaking year. © Action Images

Robert Lewandowski and Roman Weidenfeller (R) of Borussia Dortmund celebrate after their German first division Bundesliga soccer match against Borussia Moenchengladbach in Dortmund, April 21, 2012. Borussia Dortmund won the Bundesliga for the second year running, clinching the title with a 2-0 win over Moenchengladbach. © Action Images

Manchester City celebrate their English Premier League title win. © Gallo Images

Juventus' Claudio Marchisio holds the trophy after winning their 28th Italian Serie A title in their match against Atalanta at the Juventus Stadium in Turin, May 13, 2012. © Action Images

Chelsea beat Liverpool 2-1 on May 5 to lift the FA Cup, their seventh FA Cup win overall. Man United still lead the pack with 11 FA Cups, followed by Arsenal on 10 and Tottenham on eight. © Action Images

Chelsea celebrate victory in the Uefa Champions League final after beating German club Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. © Action Images

Spain celebrate their victory against Italy in the Uefa Euro 2012 final at the Olympic Stadium on July 1, 2012 in Kiev, Ukraine. © Getty Images

Wayne Rooney becomes the youngest player to score 150 goals in Premier League history. What made it more memorable was that his 150th goal came against city rivals Manchester City in their own backyard. © Action Images

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo raises up the Spanish league first division trophy at the Bernabeu, after their match against Real Mallorca, in Madrid, on May 13. Real Madrid won the Spanish first division 2012 league title at San Mames Stadium in Bilbao on May 2, which is the club's first La Liga title in four years. © Action Images

Spain celebrate their victory with the trophy during the Uefa Euro 2012 final match between Spain and Italy at the Olympic Stadium on July 1, 2012, in Kiev, Ukraine. © Getty Images

Barcelona's Lionel Messi receives the Golden Boot trophy from former soccer player Luis Suarez in Barcelona on October 29, 2012. Messi won the trophy for scoring the most goals in Europe's domestic leagues last season. © Action Images

Manchester United's new signing, Robin van Persie, poses with the manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, at a news conference at Old Trafford in Manchester, northern England, on August 17. © Action Images

Manchester City captain, Vincent Kompany, lifts the English Premier League trophy following their match against QPR at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester on May 13. © Action Images

Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates after scoring against England during their international friendly match at the Friends Arena in Stockholm on November 14. © Action Images

Falcao celebrates after scoring five goals in one match. © Action Images