For Lionel Messi and Argentina, life has been a long celebration since the hard-won world championship title against France Qatar on December 18. The Argentine captain, far from finished with football, continues to panic the statistics.

On Thursday, March 23, he surpassed the milestone of the 800th goal scored in his career against Panama. Tuesday, March 28, it is a new symbolic milestone that he crossed: that of 100 goals with Argentina.

As early as the 19th minute of the friendly match against Curacao, he opened the scoring with a cross-shot from the right at the penalty spot but especially scored his 100th goal in the sky blue and white striped jersey. He is by far Argentina's all-time top scorer, surpassing even his two pursuers, Gabriel Batistuta (56 goals) and Sergio Agüero (41).

The symbolic milestone was expected. The ball was taken out of the playing area by the referee himself and should "end up in the museum", according to the ecstatic Argentine commentators of the match.

One more hat-trick

But "la Pulga" did not stop there. As the match against the modest Curacao team turned into an of goals, "Leo" scored two more goals. First from the penalty spot but from the left (32nd), then launched deep (36th), to bring his total to 102 goals. He is now seven lengths from second place in the ranking of top scorers in selection occupied by Iran's Ali Daei (109). But still far from the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo (122).

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The icing on the cake, this victory should allow Argentina, already on the roof of the world, to seize the first place in the FIFA ranking after the defeat Saturday of Brazil against Morocco (2-1).

After the match, captain Messi once again lifted the World Cup (as on Thursday after the match against Panama) and sang "Muchachos", the team's anthem at the World Cup, under a shower of glitter and a large fireworks display.

With AFP

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