Lionel Messi’s record-breaking Argentina career in numbers

Lionel Messi concluded his remarkable 21-year international career with Argentina on Monday at the age of 39. Widely considered one of the greatest football players in history, Messi's international career has been a mix of struggles and triumphs, with his performance often serving as the backbone for Argentina's team, particularly since he became a regular player in the late 2000s.

Throughout his illustrious career, Messi has shattered numerous records, eventually retiring as the leading figure among Argentina's legendary football players. Here are some key statistics from his career:

- Messi played a total of 207 international matches for Argentina, a staggering number that surpasses the second highest scorer for the nation, Javier Mascherano, by a wide margin. Mascherano's 147 appearances are the second highest in international football, notching up the second highest total for any player in the sport.

- Messi has scored an impressive 125 goals in international matches, a feat that far exceeds the next highest scorer for Argentina, Gabriel Batistuta, who has achieved 54 goals. This is the second highest tally in international football history, only surpassed by Cristiano Ronaldo's 146 goals for Portugal.

- Messi has been a part of six World Cups during his time with Argentina, which ties him with Ronaldo for the most appearances by any player in the tournament. He scored 21 goals across these six World Cups and was momentarily the record holder for the most goals scored in the history of the World Cup, until Kylian Mbappe surpassed him later in the same edition.

- Messi holds the record for both scoring the most penalties and missing the most penalties in World Cup history, with 7 goals and 3 misses. He also became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup final in 2026 at the age of 39 years and 25 days. Across all major international tournaments (World Cup and Copa America), Messi has scored 35 goals, the highest tally for any player in the world.