LONDON (AP) ― Edging closer to a world record for goals in a year, Lionel Messi remains at the top of the AP global soccer rankings.

The Argentina forward was the overwhelming choice as best player of the week by The Associated Press’ panel of 19 global soccer journalists. He earned 161 of a possible 190 points.

His two goals against Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish league helped Barcelona to a 5-1 win on Saturday, keeping the Catalan club at the top of the team rankings with 155 points.

Messi is only one goal from matching German great Gerd Mueller’s 40-year-old record of 85 goals in a calendar year.

“Another week, another two Lionel Messi goals and another Barcelona win,” said Mike McGrath, of Wardles news agency and the Sun. “It is now only a matter of when Messi will break Mueller’s record, rather than if.”

Added Cedric Rouquette of Eurosport: “Messi continues to walk on water.”

Cristiano Ronaldo shone for Real Madrid in the game against Atletico Madrid, scoring on a free kick and setting up Mesut Oezil’s goal in a 2-0 win. Ronaldo re-entered the top 10 of the player rankings at No. 2 (132 points) after a two-week absence.

Madrid was second in the rankings, too, with 129 points after reducing the gap to its city rival in the league to five points and keeping Atletico and star striker Radamel Falcao scoreless for only the second time this season.

AC Milan striker Stephan El Shaarawy’s double strike against Catania was enough to put him into third place with 91 points. The young Italy international has scored 50 percent of Milan’s goals.

Juventus was third in the team list with 101 points and had Claudio Marchisio largely to thank for its 3-0 win over Torino. The midfielder scored twice, earning him fourth place in the player list with 80 points.

“Marchisio probably would have been No. 1 in a lot of other weeks with two goals and an assist,” said Tom Timmerman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “Even with an adjustment for playing against a 10-man Torino squad.”

Manchester United (fourth) and Wayne Rooney (fifth) also figured prominently this week after the team’s 4-3 win at Reading, where all seven goals came in the first half.