Lionel Messi scored twice in Argentina’s Copa America win over Bolivia to move into the top 10 men’s international goalscorers.
The 34-year-old’s achievement follows his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo matching Ali Daei’s all-time record last week, scoring five in Portugal’s Euro 2020 campaign.
Messi’s historic goal came in trademark fashion, a delicious 20-yard left-footed lob from Sergio Aguero’s lofted through-ball.
¡Nivel de elite! La dupla Agüero🇦🇷Messi nos dejó este gol fantástico para el recuerdo 🤩 🇧🇴 Bolivia 🆚 Argentina 🇦🇷#VibraElContinente #VibraOContinente pic.twitter.com/BgGfawBfKk — Copa América (@CopaAmerica) June 29, 2021
He had earlier netted a penalty, meaning his second goal of the game was his 75th in international football, moving him into a four-way tie for ninth place on the list – alongside Hungary great Sandor Kocsis, Japan’s Kunishige Kamamoto and Bashar Abdullah of Kuwait.
Messi has played more games than any of that trio – indeed, the goal was his second statistical achievement of the evening as he also became Argentina’s most-capped player with 148 appearances.
He has a long way to go to catch Ronaldo, who has 109 goals and counting to tie the record set by former Iran striker Daei.
The pair are 20 clear of ex-Malaysia striker Mohamed Mokhtar Dahari, with Ferenc Puskas – a long-time colleague of Kocsis in the ‘Magical Magyars’ team of the 1950s – fourth on 84 goals.
Godfrey Chitalu scored 79 for Zambia and Hussain Saeed Mohammed 78 for Iraq, leaving the pair just ahead of Brazil great Pele.
Current United Arab Emirates striker Ali Mabhkout has 76, edging him ahead of Kocsis, Kamamoto, Abdullah and Messi.
