Messi opened the game with another World Cup goal to reach the marks of Maradona and Stábile

Lionel Messi, at 35, continues to make history in Argentina and in the World Cup. With that goal from outside the area against Mexico, he moved up to eight in the top competition, tied Diego Maradona and Guillermo Stábile in second place and was two lengths behind Gabriel Batistuta, the Mexican-Argentinian striker. Also, it was in the match that he reached 21 games and reached D10S.

Of the 8 goals, Saturday’s in Qatar was the fourth from outside the box. The first goal Messi scored was at the 2006 World Cup against Serbia and Montenegro. He was from the right, in the big box and after a pass from Carlos Tevez.

The man from Rosario scored 4 goals in Brazil 2014, three from outside the area. On his debut, against Bosnia (2-1), he shot with his left foot after a touch from Higuaín. On the second round, he scored the heartbreaking victory goal at 90.30, again with his left foot and from a distance.

Already at the end of the group, the Argentine captain converted two in a 3-2 defeat against Nigeria. The first 3 minutes from the game and left footed in the big area. And then, on a free kick, at the end of the first half.

In Russia 2018 he scored only one goal, against Nigeria (2-1), from the right into the big area following a pass from Banega. In the opening match, against Iceland, he misses a penalty.

He came to Qatar 2022 with dreams of winning the World Cup and continuing to break records along the way. And the magic continues. He scored a first-half penalty in a tough 2-1 defeat against Saudi Arabia and now this flawless left-footed shot to make it 1-0 against Mexico (then Enzo Fernández rounded it up 2-0 with another great goal), looking to qualify for the round of 16 final against Poland next Wednesday.

Messi first left Mario Alberto Kempes, champion and top scorer of the tournament, author of 6 away goals at the 1978 World Cup. Now he has joined Stábile, top scorer of the first World Cup in history, in Uruguay 1930, with 8 goals in 4 games. And to Maradona, who scored his eighth goal against Greece in the World Cup in the United States. Then he played for Nigeria, he reached 21 games and the positive doping control was known which took him out of competitions and from the national team forever.

Against Poland, Messi will also become the Argentine player with the most caps in history: 22. It will also be his 15th game as captain, close to Maradona’s record. But there are still 90 minutes left.