Reviewing goal tallies

I'm compiling reliable top 10 calendar year goal tallies from official matches. The commonly cited top players include Lionel Messi with 91 goals in 2012, Gerd Müller with 85 in 1972, and Pelé with 75 in 1958, though there’s some debate about that number. According to the IFFHS, the top three remain the same. Ronaldo's records in various years also come up, and then there's Zico's tally that fluctuates based on friendlies versus top-level goals. I need to ensure accuracy here!Clarifying goal statistics

It seems that 1979 had many friendlies, making Zico's official total more likely 72 goals, which is a known figure. Romário's totals are also a bit murky; he had 72 in 2000, but possibly only 70 in some accounts. I need to avoid spreading incorrect stats. I'm allowed to ask the user for clarification or if they want a sourced list, but I need to be concise. Since they mentioned top goals for club and national teams, maybe they want the full top 10 list next!Compiling top goal stats

Let's compile a commonly cited top 10 from IFFHS for "Most Goals in a Calendar Year" that includes both club and national team goals in official matches.

From memory, the list goes:

1. Lionel Messi — 91 (2012)
2. Gerd Müller — 85 (1972)
3. Pelé — 75 (1958)
4. Pelé — 72 (1965)
5. Zico — 72 (1979) — though there's some debate here.
6. Romário — 72 (2000), but maybe he actually scored only 66.
7. Robert Lewandowski — 69 (2021), which matches Ronaldo’s 69 in 2013.
8. Cristiano Ronaldo — 69 (2013)
9. Ibrahimović — 56 (2016), which isn't top 10, and Neymar with 51 in 2022.Refining goal tallies

There are other mid-century players to consider, like Ferenc Deák, who scored 66 in 1945, but I'm not sure if that includes top-level matches. Josef Bican had impressive numbers but he played before 1950, and IFFHS might exclude state league matches. “Top-level” typically includes national leagues, cups, and international competitions.

So, recalling a better-curated top 10 from IFFHS, it looks like:

• Messi 91 (2012)
• Gerd Müller 85 (1972)
• Pelé 75 (1958)
• Pelé 72 (1965)
• Romário 72 (2000)
• Zico 72 (1979)
• Cristiano Ronaldo 69 (2013)
• Robert Lewandowski 69 (2021)
• Di Stéfano, possibly 66
• Ferenc Deák 66 (1946), but again, top-level definitions might vary. Plus maybe Salah's 63 in 2018 is off too!Clarifying goal definitions

I’m thinking it’s best to clarify what the user means and whether they want the IFFHS-recognized top 10. Given their direct comment, they might be looking for confirmation or more details. I can ask if they want the complete list with years and explain that counts can vary. I’ll mention Messi's 91 goals in 2012 as No. 1 and then suggest sharing a top 10 based on different definitions, like all official matches versus national and league-only goals. There’s some ambiguity in their phrasing; I want to be precise!