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Lionel Messi Equals World Cup Record Set By Cristiano Ronaldo And Pele

Lionel Messi has now scored at four World Cup tournaments, becoming the fifth player to do so, after Pele, Uwe Seeler, Miroslav Klose and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Robert Summerscales

Lionel Messi Equals World Cup Record Set By Cristiano Ronaldo And Pele
Lionel Messi Equals World Cup Record Set By Cristiano Ronaldo And Pele /

Lionel Messi took less than 10 minutes to score his first goal of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward converted an early penalty in Argentina's Group C opener against Saudi Arabia after Saud Abdulhamid had fouled Leandro Paredes.

Messi has now scored at four different World Cup tournaments, becoming only the fifth player ever to do so - after Pele, Uwe Seeler, Miroslav Klose and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Portugal captain Ronaldo can become the outright record-holder if he scores at Qatar 2022.

Messi's early strike against Saudi Arabia was his 92nd international goal for Argentina.

He has now scored against 34 different national teams.

Eight of Messi's Argentina goals have come against Bolivia.

He has hit six against both Uruguay and Ecuador, plus five past Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Estonia and Venezuela.

Switzerland, Guatemala, Panama, Haiti, Nigeria, Mexico and Colombia have all conceded three goals scored by Messi, while Jamaica, Honduras, Spain, Algeria, Croatia, Hong Kong and Nicaragua have conceded two each.

Messi has scored one goal each against Serbia, Peru, France, Portugal, Albania, Germany, Slovenia, Bosnia, Iran, USA, UAE and now Saudi Arabia.

Lionel Messi pictured celebrating after scoring his first goal of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
Lionel Messi pictured celebrating after scoring his first goal of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar :: IMAGO/Newspix/Piotr Kucza
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Robert Summerscales
ROBERT SUMMERSCALES

Robert Summerscales launched FanNation Futbol in February 2022. Rob is a British journalist who previously spent two years on the sports desk at the Daily Mail in London, having earlier served as editor of CaughtOffside.com. He has been to the last two FIFA Men's World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, and is looking forward to completing his hat-trick in North America in 2026.

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