Lionel Messi breaks CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying scoring record in return to Argentina starting lineup

Argentina's forward Lionel Messi (R) celebrates with teammates Enzo Fernandez (L) and Rodrigo De Paul after scoring his team's first goal during the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American qualification football match between Peru and Argentina at the National Stadium in Lima on October 17, 2023. (Photo by ERNESTO BENAVIDES / AFP) (Photo by ERNESTO BENAVIDES/AFP via Getty Images)
By Felipe Cardenas and The Athletic Staff
Oct 18, 2023

Lionel Messi scored two first-half goals to lead Argentina to a 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Peru on Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know:

  • Messi opened the scoring for Argentina in the 32nd minute and added a second goal 10 minutes later. A potential third goal in the 57th minute was overturned after he was found to be offside by VAR review.
  • Messi now has 31 career goals in World Cup qualifying, which is a CONMEBOL record.
  • This was Messi’s first start in a match since Sept. 20.

Messi’s first-half performance

To no one’s surprise, Messi hasn’t done much running in this first half against Peru. But he has been intelligent with his runs, arriving inside the Peruvian penalty area to calmly score two goals. For his first, Messi initiated an Argentina counter attack and then finished a Nico Gonzalez cross with an impressive one-time strike.

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It was Messi’s second-ever goal against Peru in nine games. Messi has looked much better tonight since suffering a hamstring injury in Argentina’s 1-0 win over Ecuador on Sept. 7. Messi’s second goal was another left-footed finish that he placed perfectly to the goalkeeper’s right. — Felipe Cardenas, international soccer writer

What’s next for Argentina?

Peru was no match for an Argentina side that continues to play with the confidence of a world champion. They’re deep, they’re selfless and they have Messi. The 36-year-old is joint top scorer in CONMEBOL qualifying with three goals from four matches. Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has not lost a World Cup qualifier since taking over in 2018.

Argentina are top of the standings with 12 points after four matches. They’ll host Uruguay on Nov. 16 and then travel to the Estadio Maracaná to face arch-rivals Brazil five days later. — Cardenas

Messi’s goals

Required reading

(Photo: Ernesto Benavides / AFP via Getty Images)

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