Messi sets all-time appearances record for Argentina

Argentina icon and legend, Lionel Messi, became his country’s most-capped player on Monday, leading his team to a 4-1 triumph over Bolivia in their fifth Group A game at the Arena Pantanal at the 2021 Copa America.

Messi has now played 148 times for Argentina, surpassing former captain Javier Mascherano for the tally. Mascherano played for Barcelona with Messi for a significant number of seasons after arriving from Liverpool. The defensive midfielder represented his country 147 times during his career.

Before Mascherano, Javier Zanetti, the former Inter Milan defender and captain, held the record with 143 international appearances. Messi has overtaken legendary company at this point in his national team career.

The Barcelona captain, for his part, is Argentina’s all-time leading goal-scorer, with 75 goals. He surpassed another icon, Gabriel Batistuta, who held the record for 54 goals, which was set in 2016. Despite his brilliance in front of goal for the Albiceleste, the forward is yet to lead his team to silverware in a major international tournament. He would be keen to win the Copa America this year after losing in the finals of the 2014 World Cup, as well as the 2007, 2015, and 2016 editions.

Messi has already stated that leading his national side to an international title is one of his main goals that are yet to be achieved. He has been in the news for the past year or so over his future with Barcelona, as his current contract expiring soon.

If Barcelona can’t manage to get him to sign a contract extension by Wednesday, he will become a free agent on Thursday. The Catalan giants, on the other hand, are working hard to reach an agreement on a new contract and are confident that he will build further on his 20-year association with them. With the new signings, they are confident that he will end up staying.