Meet Godfrey Chitalu, The Zambian Lionel Messi
Barça's Lionel Messi scored a lot of goals this year. 86 of them, apparently.* That's a record for a soccer player. Or is it? Zambia's Godfrey Chitalu—whose heyday as a player came in the late 1960s and 70s, before he began coaching in the 80s—may have scored 116 goals in 1972. On this week's excerpt from Slate's Hang Up and Listen podcast, Josh Levin looks at Chitalu's great season, and his long career in the game, which came to a tragic end nearly 20 years ago.
* Update: 86 broke the record. He's at 90 goals now.
You can listen to the full podcast here or subscribe on iTunes.
Latest
Why LeBron James Isn't the Perfect Fit for the Miami Heat
Fri Jul 17 2026
Three MLB Futures Bets to Make After the All-Star Break
Fri Jul 17 2026
Latest Betting
- July 17 White Sox vs. Blue Jays Prediction, Odds and Best Bets
- Three MLB Futures Bets to Make After the All-Star Break
- Three Heisman Trophy Sleepers Worth Betting Before the 2026 Season
- England vs. Argentina Best Bets: Three Picks for the World Cup Semifinal
- MLB All-Star Game Best Bets: Picks, Odds and Predictions for AL vs. NL
- Best Big Ten 2026 College Football Win Total Future Betting Picks
- 2026 Home Run Derby Props: Three Best Bets for Monday Night

