With his goal against Canada, Lionel Messi has officially surpassed the legendary Ali Daei to become the second highest scorer for the national team, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo.
In the 51st minute of the match, Messi scored his 109th goal for the Argentina team, helping him officially surpass the achievement of legendary Iranian striker Ali Daei.
This is a memorable milestone in Messi’s brilliant career, bringing him closer to the record of long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently leads the list with 130 goals for the Portuguese team.
Argentina have officially advanced to the Copa America final after defeating Canada. Photo: Getty.
Messi’s goal was considered a “lucky” situation from Enzo Fernandez’s previous shot – when the ball hit Messi’s foot and went into the net, it still marked the first time he scored at Copa America 2024.
This is also Messi’s 14th goal in the entire history of the tournament, continuing to affirm his influence in the Argentina team and in the South American arena.
Copa America 2024 will not only see Messi break Ali Daei’s goalscoring record. In the tournament’s opening match, he set a new milestone for Copa appearances, surpassing legendary Chilean goalkeeper Sergio Livingstone, who had held the record since 1953.
The 37-year-old striker received the MVP award for the match between Argentina and Canada.
Before the tournament, Messi had already equalled Ali Daei on the all-time scoring list when he scored twice in a 4-1 win over Guatemala, setting the stage for him to surpass the Iranian legend in the main tournament.
In the broader context of world football, Messi is behind Cristiano Ronaldo and ahead of players like India’s Sunil Chhetri (93 goals) and Malaysia’s Mokhtar Dahari (89 goals). However, when comparing both men’s and women’s football, Canada’s Christine Sinclair still holds the absolute record with 190 goals in 328 international appearances.
Messi’s individual record for Argentina is truly impressive. In 186 appearances for his country, he has scored 109 goals and added 56 assists – all Argentine records.
The Inter Miami star is on the verge of winning his second Copa America. Photo: Getty.
Messi is aiming to win his third international title, having previously led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2021 Copa America. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner also has an under-23 Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Messi’s latest achievement is not only a personal milestone but also an inspiration for the entire Argentina team. By continuing to score goals and break records, Messi is proving that age is no barrier to his talent and dedication to football.
