Lionel Messi surpasses Pelé to become the top South American international top scorer in men’s football

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Messi’s goal of 79 goals in 153 games exceeds the 77 of the great Brazilian Pelé in 91 games.

The 34-year-old equalized with Pelé’s record in the 14th minute of Thursday’s game with a left-footed shot from the side of the area, and then advanced with a goal from the second half that came through a clear interaction with Lautaro Martínez.

He had another goal ruled out for offside, but completed his hat-trick when he converted a late rebound.

After the match, Messi cried when he celebrated the title of the Copa America in Argentina in front of 21,000 fans at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, the first time fans could see the national team from the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Messi celebrates thrashing against Bolivia.
The trophy, which Argentina won in July with a 1-0 win over Brazil, was Messi’s first for his country.

“I really wanted to enjoy it. I waited a long time, I looked for it and I dreamed it. It’s a unique moment of how it came about, after waiting so long,” Messi said of the celebration of the America’s Cup victory with fans.

“There’s no better way to celebrate than to be here. My mom and my siblings were in the stands … they suffered a lot and today they’re celebrating here. I’m very happy.”

After the victory against Bolivia, Argentina is now second in the qualifying group for the 2022 South American World Cup for Qatar with 18 points from eight matches, behind Brazil on the 24th.

Messi scored his first goal for Argentina in 2006 in a friendly against Croatia. Of his 79 international goals, 35 have come in friendlies, 25 in qualifiers, 12 in the Copa Américas and six in the World Cup.

Messi and Argentina celebrate with the Copa America trophy in front of fans in Buenos Aires.

The Brazilian Marta is the South American top scorer with 109 goals in the women’s team.

Earlier this month, Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo became the top international goal scorer in men’s football with his 111th goal, surpassing the previous record of 109 held by Iranian Ali Daei.
Earlier this season, Messi moved to Frenchman Paris Saint-Germain to try to win the Champions League, ending his long-term partnership with Barcelona.
“It’s good for French football, for the league, for the media, for the spectators,” CNN Sport’s Amanda Davies told AS Monaco midfielder Cesc Fàbregas, who he played his former teammate earlier this week.

“I think it makes everyone very excited. Obviously, he’s an icon wherever he goes. I think he was also unexpected, so he does it even better.”

Fàbregas also said that he never expected Messi to leave Barcelona and added: “I didn’t think that day would come. I have experienced many things in football, things that you can’t even imagine and some of them are very unexpected. “.

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