After historic 800th career goal, Argentina's Lionel Messi delivers heartfelt message to fans - WATCH
By Ayush Gupta | First Published Mar 24, 2023, 10:54 AM ISTArgentina took on Panama at home during a friendly on Thursday. It walked away with a 2-0 victory, thanks to strikes from Thiago Almada and Lionel Messi, while the latter scored his 800th career goal, sending social media into a frenzy.
World Champion Argentina was back in action on the football field, as it hosted Panama in an international friendly in its first contest since winning the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. Being played at the Estadio Mâs Monumental in the capital city of Buenos Aires, the La Albiceleste were facilitated after the fixture ended, with the World Cup trophy on display, as the side was led by its superstar skipper-cum-striker Lionel Messi and head coach Lionel Scaloni.
Lionel Messi with an incredible free-kick 🇦🇷
We are witnessing greatness once again 🐐
pic.twitter.com/QBPUO7B9LY
As for the match, the Argentines settled for a comfortable 2-0 success, thanks to strikes from Thiago Almada in the 78th minute, followed by a free-kick screamer from Messi 11 minutes later to seal the deal. The latter's goal turned out to be a special one, as it happened to be his 800th career goal, while he became only the second player in history to do so after his longtime Portuguese rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
IT JUST HAD TO BE A LIONEL MESSI FREE KICK GOLAZO FOR NO. 800 🔥 pic.twitter.com/jsinxGZCnE
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC)Latest Videos
ALSO READ: Cristiano Ronaldo to Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Top 5 players to watch out for during international break
Lionel Scaloni doing the Messi chant with the crowd. That's how you treat the GOAT🐐❤️pic.twitter.com/8K9XV1DvFZ
— Madrid Fan (@peak_reborn)It was also Messi's 99th international goal. However, if history is to be believed, Messi and Ronaldo are not the only ones to have scored 800 career goals. Before the official data was collected, Brazilian legends Romario and Pele are said to have scored 1,000 career goals. But, some of them arrived in unofficial games, while the data now collected is for all official matches. Meanwhile, social media was in awe of the Argentine's recent historic achievement, as fans believe they are witnessing greatness.
70% (84 of his 120) of Ronaldo's Int goals against teams outside FIFA top 50.
70% (69 of his 99) of Messi's Int goals against teams inside FIFA top 50.
THE GOAT STAT PADDER pic.twitter.com/86BSTZDvy7
"I always dreamed of this moment and celebrating with you. In my country, Argentina. I don't want to forget all my previous teammates because we also did everything possible to get it. Let's enjoy the third star," said Messi after he and his team were felicitated following the triumph.
OVACIÓN TOTAL A MESSI: "Les dije que íbamos a hacer todo lo posible para ganar ésto", le dijo a la gente. pic.twitter.com/AxWxAs2Tix
— TyC Sports (@TyCSports)
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