THIERRY HENRY says true football fans should cherish every remaining second of Lionel Messi's career because we will never see the likes of the Argentine again.

Messi became La Liga's all-time top scorer with a hat-trick for Barcelona in Saturday's 5-1 defeat of Sevilla, taking his tally to 253 in only 289 games.

And three days later he netted another history-making treble, this time against APOEL. Those goals gave the 27-year-old footballing genius the record for the Champions League he'd previously shared with Real Madrid icon Raul.

Former Barcelona and Arsenal legend Henry admitted his delight at seeing his ex-team-mate make his critics once again look foolish.

Henry said: "Messi is doing things now for Barca and the football world in general that we will never see being done again - let alone someone doing everything in such a short time as Messi has done this week.

"I loved seeing him so happy after scoring the goal against Sevilla to break the La Liga record.

"I was lucky to have been watching it on TV at home and you could tell how much he wanted it."

Referring to critics of the four-time Ballon D'Or winner, Henry added: "I do not understand how there are people who can doubt him. It seems crazy to wonder what's happening with Messi if he does not score in one game.

"He's a great player, a good person and an example to always just play the opponent you're facing.

"We should enjoy him while we can because the day he leaves Barcelona, people will realise how great a player he's been."