Lionel Messi breaks two Diego Maradona records in Argentina’s win over Australia
Lionel Messi has broken two records, previously set by Diego Maradona, following Argentina’s 2-1 victory over Australia in the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup on Saturday.
The Paris Saint-Germain star made his 1,000th career appearance at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, as well as his 100th as captain of Argentina, and he opened the scoring in the 35th minute when he placed a curling left-footed strike into the bottom corner.
Julian Alvarez then capitalised on a Mathew Ryan mistake to role the ball into an empty net just before the hour mark, and although an Enzo Fernandez own goal gave Australia hope of a late comeback, the two-time world champions held on to progress to the last eight.
Messi, who was named Man of the Match, has now scored a total of 94 international goals for Argentina, including nine at the World Cup, with his strike against Australia his first in the knockout rounds of the tournament.
The 35-year-old has now become Argentina’s second-highest scorer at the World Cup, surpassing global icon Maradona and Guillermo Stabile, who both netted eight times for their country.
After being eliminated in the last 16 by current world champions France four years ago in Russia, Argentina have gone one step further in Qatar this year and Lionel Scaloni’s side have kept their dreams of winning their first World Cup since 1986 alive.
La Albiceleste will now prepare for next Friday’s quarter-final tie against three-time World Cup runners up the Netherlands, who beat USA 3-1 earlier on Saturday.
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