Kane usurps Messi as Europe's top scorer in 2017
Two goals against Southampton saw Harry Kane surpass Lionel Messi as Europe's most prolific marksman across the calendar year.
Harry Kane's second goal against Southampton saw the Tottenham striker overtake Lionel Messi as Europe's top scorer in 2017 with 55.
The England international scored a hat-trick in Saturday's 3-0 win over Burnley to move to 53 goals for club and country in the calendar year.
That treble put him one behind Barcelona superstar Messi, who earlier that day scored a penalty in his final game of 2017 – a 3-0 defeat of Real Madrid in El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Kane moved level with Messi by heading his first against the Saints at Wembley on Tuesday – breaking Alan Shearer's record of 36 Premier League goals in one year in the process.
And a stunning 12 months for the 24-year-old was capped off with his second, a simple tap-in from Son Heung-min's square ball.
38 - Sonny plays across the face of goal and is on hand to double both his personal tally and our lead. GET IN! 2-0 26 December 2017
Kane's 55 goals came from just 52 appearances, at 1.06 per game, while Messi's 54 were scored from 64 outings (0.84).
The Spurs man heads an all-star leaderboard atop the scoring charts as Robert Lewandowski, Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani all finished 2017 with 53 goals to their name.
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