Lionel Messi: Another day, another milestone achieved by Lionel Messi. Just a couple of days back Messi went past the 800-goal mark in his career. Only Ronaldo had achieved that feat before Leo. Now, in Argentina’s 7-0 rout of Curacao, Messi breaks yet another milestone. He has surpassed 100 career goals for Argentina with his first-half hat-trick for the Albiceleste. Follow Lionel Messi LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN
In the 20th minute of the international friendly against the Caribbean side, Messi, 35, opened the scoring with a right-foot shot from the edge of the box to achieve his 100th goal. His 101st goal was a crossed shot to the right of the goalkeeper and his 102nd goal was an easy run to find the back of the net.
Lionel Messi: CENTURY of goals for LEO! WATCH La Pulga goes past 100-goal landmark for Argentina with hat-trick against Curacao, Check OUT
Argentina was leading Curacao 5-0 at halftime, with Gonzalez and Enzo Fernandez also putting their names on the scoreboard. With goals of their own in the 78th and 87th minutes of the second half, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Montiel increased Argentina’s enormous advantage to seven goals.
¡GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLAZO DE #ARGENTINA, LO HIZO LIONEL ANDRÉS MESSI CUCCITTINI!👊🏼🤩🔥 pic.twitter.com/yOlqnNKX5f
— Argentina Gol (@BocaJrsGol) March 28, 2023
Messi is just third on the list of male players who have scored the most goals for their country in international matches. Cristiano Ronaldo tops the list with 122 goals, and Iran’s Ali Daei is second with 109. Only behind Brazil’s Marta, who has 109 goals for the nation, Messi is the second South American male player to reach the 100-goal plateau.
HOMENAJE MERECIDO PARA EL 10 🤩
Lionel Messi superó los 100 goles con la Selección (llegó a 102) y se llevó un regalo y la pelota con la que marcó el gol número 100. ¿POR CIEN MÁS, NO? pic.twitter.com/g9e1L6Dqap
— TyC Sports (@TyCSports) March 29, 2023
Almost half of Messi’s goals (46) have been scored in international matches. In World Cup qualification games, the PSG forward has scored 28 goals, including a hat trick against Ecuador in October 2017 that helped Argentina qualify for the 2018 World Cup with a 3-1 victory.
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Messi has 13 goals in Copa America and is Argentina’s top scorer in World Cup competitions with 13 goals in 26 games over five editions, beginning in 2006. Messi was particularly on fire in Qatar in the 2022 edition for La Albiceleste. In 690 minutes for Argentina, Messi had 7 goals and 3 assists to his name. He also won the Golden Ball Award for his displays and just about nicked the Golden Ball Award, for most goals, from Mbappe, but finished just one shy of his PSG team-mate.
This was Argentina’s second exhibition match since taking home the World Cup trophy in December in Santiago del Estero. They defeated Panama in the first game 2-0.
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