With his two goals in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria on Monday (22), Lionel Messi has established himself as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history, with a total of 18 goals.
Following this victory, which ensured Argentina’s progression to the tournament’s next stage ahead of time, the iconic No. 10 reflected on the strength of the reigning world champions while still at the stadium.
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“It was spectacular. The missed penalty could have expanded our lead. You never know, but I am pleased with the result, my contribution, and the team’s effort. I’m very happy with the win. It was a challenging battle that gives us confidence for what’s to come. Every match is intense, so we’re delighted with the six points and our qualification,” he said.
“We anticipated it wouldn’t be an easy match. It was closely contested and a tough game to navigate. The key takeaway is our qualification. Our goal is to win every game because we are Argentina, but it’s not straightforward. When the group comes together, we thrive in playing and competing together.”
“The entire squad lives by this philosophy. We must maintain this approach throughout the tournament. When we unite as a group, we come to compete. Yet, we also cherish our time together, enjoy the competition, and relish training, embracing each day. Our fans resonate with this spirit as well, fueling their dreams of a title. But we will take it step by step. It’s a lengthy tournament, and we need to prepare for every match,” he added.
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Later, Messi took to his Instagram account to celebrate the match that added another record to his illustrious career in football.
Beyond becoming the player with the highest number of goals in World Cup history (18), Lionel also holds records for most World Cup matches played (28), most World Cup wins (18), and most minutes played in the tournament (2,489).
📸Check out Messi’s post after the record-breaking match:
“Another victory in a challenging match, bringing us a step closer…”
Photos: Reproduction/Instagram.com/leomessi
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.