Look who are back

It will be tough for Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo to take their unprecedented scoring duel to even greater heights after last season's record-breaking performances. But that doesn't mean they won't try.

In the Spanish league alone, Messi scored a record 50 times last season, while Ronaldo almost kept pace with 46 goals, six more than the previous league record that the Portuguese forward established the year before. "I begin each season with the objective of surpassing what I have done before," said Messi. "I don't try to score more goals, I try to improve as a player. I hope I still have margin to continue growing and become a better footballer."

Messi shattered a string of records in 2011-12. The 25-year-old Argentina forward scored 73 goals overall in 60 games for Barcelona, breaking the mark of 67 set by Bayern Munich's Gerd Mueller in 1973 and the prior world club mark of 70 established by Archie Stark of Bethlehem Steel in the American Soccer League in 1925. He became Barcelona's all-time leading scorer by breaking a 57-year-old club milestone, and equalled a Champions League record with 14 goals.

Ronaldo came close to matching Messi with 60 goals in 55 games in all competitions as he powered Madrid to the Spanish league title and its record point haul (100) and goals scored (121). "My immediate goals are to work as hard as I can so I can fight with my team for all the titles possible," said Ronaldo. "I want to keep getting better because it is going to be a long season."

On Tuesday, the two rivals and Messi's teammate Andres Iniesta were named as finalists for the UEFA Best Player in Europe award. Messi has won the award the past three years. Ronaldo won it in 2008.

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