Lionel Messi’s double challenge: secure qualification for the round of 16 and set new records with the Argentina national team

It’s already the World Cup Lionel Messi, at least in terms of records. Regardless of how Qatar’s adventure ended, who got off to a bad start and began to straighten up thanks to his left foot, the fact is that in every game the ‘Pulce’ plays he breaks a new world record.

We see. He is already the only Argentine footballer to play in five World Cupsa result that allows him to enter a small group of eight players: the German Lothair Matthausthe Italian Gigi BuffonPortuguese Cristiano Ronaldo and the mexicans Raphael Marquez, Guillermo Ochoa, Andres Guardado Y Antonio Carbajal.

Will it be Lionel’s last? If the 2026 World Cup were played in June, as was customary, Messi would make his decision 39 years old on the 24th, in full competition. Difficult, but nothing is impossible for the genius of Rosario.

In terms of games played, Leo arrived in Qatar with 19. His appearances against Saudi Arabia and Mexico brought him closer to Diego Maradona (Argentine leader on the pitch) with 21 and thus surpassing Javier Mascherano (20). He will set a new record against Poland, with 22and if he reaches the final or third place, he could dethrone Matthäus, who with 25 games is number one in World Cup appearances.

With the goal from a penalty on his debut against Saudi Arabia, he became one too the first Argentine to convert in four different World Cups. In 2006 he scored one goal, 4 in 2014, one in 2018 and for now two in 2022. Strangely, since 2010 and with Diego Maradona on the bench as DT, he has started without shouting his own goals.

After the decisive goal against Mexico, his World Cup record came 8 points, of the 93 he has in the national team. In this way he passed Mario Kempes (6), and achieved Diego Maradona Y William Stable. They were two of the 10’s Gabriel BatistutaArgentine top scorer at the World Cup.

A very interesting fact in terms of effectiveness is that 2022 is already the year in which Messi has scored the most goals for the national team, with 13, surpassing his best score (12) obtained in 2012 and that of Batistuta (also 12). , in 1998). . It’s on.

Messi could also remain the national team player with the most games as captain at the World Cup. He arrived in Doha with 12, against Poland it would be his 15th timereaching the Mexican mark Raffaele Marquez and remaining one of Maradona. In 2006 the ribbon was worn by Juan Pablo Sorín, in 2010 the designee was Mascherano, but Leo made his captaincy debut against Greece in the third match of the group stage, in which the little boss break. Since 2014, the honor was already his, in the seven matches that the national team has played in Brazil, as well as in the four of 2018 in Russia and in the first two of 2022. Another brand ready to be broken game after game.

There are multiple areas where the Rosary stands out, for example in that of assists. add six, after the pass that gave Enzo Fernández for the 2-0 win against Mexico. Then he is two behind Maradona (8) and one behind the German Pierre Littbarski and the Polish Gzregorz Lato, who have 7. He is the first in history to give at least one assist in five different World Cups.

Even Messi can leave his mark minutes played. For now accumulate 1,803under Mascherano (1,920) and Maradona (1,917). In the round of 16 he could beat them. The Italian Paul Maldiniwith 2.217it is the world record.

All these numbers revolve around Messi in his fifth World Cup, the most exotic. Here in Qatar, Leo rewrites his story in every game, in every data, with the idea of ​​playing every game and continuing to break records.

Doha, Qatar. Special delivery

Statistics: Oscar Barnade.