Lionel Messi follows Ronaldo's lead in setting new international record

Lionel Messi has spent the majority of his international career lugging an average Argentina team on his back.

So it was fitting that on Monday night in the Copa America, he eclipsed Javier Mascherano to take their all-time appearance record.

The Barcelona star won his 148th cap and produced a fine individual display for La Albiceleste as Argentina thrashed Bolivia 4-1.

Messi got two goals for himself and laid on a sublime chipped assist for Papu Gomez to seal a comfortable win and cement their place in the quarter-finals.

In doing so, Messi climbed into the top-10 list of all-time international goalscorers and the timing of such an achievement could not be more perfect, as Cristiano Ronaldo 's efforts to top the list fell short against Belgium on Sunday.

There is little doubt Ronaldo will end Ali Daei's 15-year run at the top of the standings on 109 goals after equalling the total against France in the group stage.

But at least now, Messi has earned his place in the conversation too.

In typical classy fashion, the 34-year-old made the breathtaking look all so easy to break into the top-10, lobbing the goalkeeper from 20 yards out having been set up by Sergio Aguero.

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 but given how many goals he has created for his team-mates in his 16 years as an international, it is all irrelevant. He is far and away their highest goalscorer - some 24 goals ahead of the retired Gabriel Batistuta.

In terms of goals, he may never be able 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 fourth on 84 goals.

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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.

In reality, the record will not matter much to a player with six Ballon d'Ors to his name and 672 goals for Barcelona. What he wants is to add an international trophy at senior level to his trophy cabinet, which has slipped away from him despite his glittering career.

If he were given the chance to trade his international caps record or 75 goals for his country for Copa America glory or, even better, a World Cup winners' medal, he would not hesitate in doing so.

Football fans should feel privileged to have witnessed Messi's talents on the pitch, yet the fact he has never once lifted a major title with his national side is a huge stick that fans have used to beat him with.

In the debate of deciding who is the greatest football of all-time, or more commonly known as the 'GOAT', purists insist Diego Maradona's success puts firmly him above his compatriot.

His nation's lack of success at international level in the era of Messi points to a huge missed opportunity. No player has arguably done more for their nation in trying to push them towards success without achieving it.

The Barcelona star has lost four major international finals — three Copa Americas, in 2007, 2015 and 2016, and the 2014 World Cup — and has never failed to hide his disappointment.

The pain of Argentina's extra-time defeat to Germany in 2014, when Messi was arguably at the height of his powers but the national side certainly was not, will carry on until they end their 28-year wait for a major international trophy.

He scored five times in the tournament, yet in the final it was almost left to him to create the chances and score them too. Germany had more quality and it proved the difference in the end after a gruelling final in Brazil.

There will be some regrets with how Messi felt compelled to quit the national team scene in 2016 after missing a crucial penalty in Argentina's shootout defeat to Chile in the Copa America final.

He later ended up reversing his decision soon after, however, following a campaign from Argentina fans urging him not to quit. But little has changed in the way of their international success.

Perhaps his new record will finally legitimise him as the country's greatest-ever footballer after previous criticism suggesting his adopted home of Barcelona made him more Catalan than Argentinian.

But there is one more milestone to achieve. Ronaldo has the Euro 2016 title to commemorate his illustrious international career, while Messi still has the opportunity to guide his nation to their first Copa America since 1993 this summer.

And now that he is Argentina's most-capped player, working towards that elusive triumph is all that matters for 'El Capitan'.