- Messi played his 72nd Qualifiers match.
- He already holds the record for most appearances in the CONMEBOL Copa América™.
Lionel Messi was the standout in Argentina’s last home game of the South American Qualifiers on the road to the 2026 World Cup. The Rosario-born forward scored twice in the 3-0 win over Venezuela.
The current Inter Miami player reached a new CONMEBOL milestone: 72 appearances in South American Qualifiers, equaling Ecuador’s Iván Hurtado. Following them are Paulo da Silva (66), Diego Godín (65), and Marcelo Moreno (64).
Messi also holds the record for most appearances in the CONMEBOL Copa América™: he has played 39 matches across seven editions. He was champion in 2021 and 2024.
