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Messi achieves new record Maradona and Pele couldn't with another goal for Argentina

talksport.com, 11 October 2021, 14:12
Do you think Lionel Messi ever gets tired of breaking records?

Well, on Sunday, he broke another one, as he became the first South America footballer in history to score 80 international goals.

Yep - quite incredibly it's a feat legendary figures Pele, Diego Maradona, Ronaldo and, well, literally every other South American icon before him has never managed to achieve.

Messi holds more major records than any other player in world football and they seem to be increasing by the month.

Just to name a few of his achievements, the maestro has scored the most La Liga hat-tricks, he is the youngest player to score 50 goals in the Champions League, and is the only player ever to score in his teens, his 20s and his 30s at the World Cup.

His 80th and record-breaking strike for Argentina probably didn't happen the way he dreamed it would - although it didn't appear he cared all that much as he celebrated.

Playing in his side's World Cup qualifier against Uruguay, Messi - around 30 yards from goal - looked to pick out his teammate Nicolas Gonzalez with a pass.

Hit with the outside of his boot, the pass evaded both Gonzalez and opposition goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, as the ball snuck in at the far post.

Not his most spectacular of strikes but it wasn't a scrappy one, either, as the ball simply bounced its way into the net.

Despite the fortune involved in the goal, Messi wheeled away and celebrated it as emphatically as he did with the previous 79.

The six-time Ballon d'Or winner's strike was followed by goals from Rodrigo De Paul and Lautaro Martinez to seal a 3-0 win over Uruguay, to leave Argentina sitting second in their World Cup qualifying table.

Lionel Scaloni's side are six points behind Brazil, who top the group, but they still look in a strong position to qualify for next year's tournament.

"We played a great game," said Messi after the game. "Everything worked out perfectly.

"Uruguay wait for you and they generate danger. Once we got the first goal we started to find space and the goals appeared."

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