# List of international goals scored by Lionel Messi
**Lionel Messi** scored 125 goals in 207 matches for the Argentina national team between his debut in 2005 and his final match in October 2026, a rate of 0.60 goals per match, making him Argentina's all-time top scorer and the highest-scoring South American in men's international football.[1](https://rsssf.org/miscellaneous/messi-intlg.html) • [2](https://www.afa.com.ar/68/posts/lionel-messi-lleva-112-goles-con-la-seleccion-argentina-y-es-el-maximo-artillero-de-la-historia-de-la-albiceleste) Only Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, with 146 international goals, has more.[3](https://messivsronaldo.football/stats/international)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| International total | 125 goals in 207 matches, 0.60 per match (2005–2026)[1](https://rsssf.org/miscellaneous/messi-intlg.html) |
| First goal | 1 March 2006, against Croatia in a friendly[2](https://www.afa.com.ar/68/posts/lionel-messi-lleva-112-goles-con-la-seleccion-argentina-y-es-el-maximo-artillero-de-la-historia-de-la-albiceleste) |
| World Cup goals | Passed Miroslav Klose's record of 16 during the 2026 tournament, with a hat-trick against Algeria and a brace against Austria[4](https://www.fifa.com/es/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/lionel-messi-record-copa-mundial-qatar-2022) |
| World Cups scored in | Six different tournaments, a first for a male player[5](https://theweek.com/sport/football/955312/lionel-messi-vs-cristiano-ronaldo-rivalry-all-time-goals-career-stats) |
| Hat-tricks | Ten for Argentina: nine of three goals and one of five[2](https://www.afa.com.ar/68/posts/lionel-messi-lleva-112-goles-con-la-seleccion-argentina-y-es-el-maximo-artillero-de-la-historia-de-la-albiceleste) |
| Distribution (through 112 goals) | Friendlies 48, World Cup qualifiers 34, Copa América 17, World Cup 13[2](https://www.afa.com.ar/68/posts/lionel-messi-lleva-112-goles-con-la-seleccion-argentina-y-es-el-maximo-artillero-de-la-historia-de-la-albiceleste) |
| Final match | 6 October 2026, Monumental Stadium, Buenos Aires[6](https://copaamerica.com/en/news/lionel-messi-said-goodbye-to-argentina-national-team) |
## Totals and milestones
Messi's international career officially began in 2005, and he announced himself at the FIFA World Youth Championship Netherlands 2005 before establishing himself with the senior side.[7](https://www.fifa.com/en/articles/lionel-messi-argentina-career) His first senior international goal came on 1 March 2006, against Croatia in a friendly, and his second followed that June against [Serbia and Montenegro](https://www.edgepedia.org/serbia-and-montenegro) at the 2006 World Cup.[2](https://www.afa.com.ar/68/posts/lionel-messi-lleva-112-goles-con-la-seleccion-argentina-y-es-el-maximo-artillero-de-la-historia-de-la-albiceleste)
The [Argentine Football Association](https://www.edgepedia.org/argentine-football-association) (AFA) recorded his 112th goal, scored against Bolivia in a World Cup qualifier on 15 October 2024, along with 60 assists in 189 matches to that point.[2](https://www.afa.com.ar/68/posts/lionel-messi-lleva-112-goles-con-la-seleccion-argentina-y-es-el-maximo-artillero-de-la-historia-de-la-albiceleste) His tally continued to grow through the 2026 World Cup and its aftermath: the Associated Press counted his goal against [Cape Verde](https://www.edgepedia.org/cape-verde) on 3 July 2026 as his 124th international goal,[8](https://apnews.com/article/64fe1029d7f5ca97976cd5ac09075c28) and RSSSF's final record, last updated with the Spain–Argentina match of 19 July 2026, lists 125 goals in 207 caps.[1](https://rsssf.org/miscellaneous/messi-intlg.html) [The Week](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-week) reported the same 125 goals but in 205 appearances, so the cap count differs slightly between record-keepers.[5](https://theweek.com/sport/football/955312/lionel-messi-vs-cristiano-ronaldo-rivalry-all-time-goals-career-stats)
Scoring rate by year varied considerably. His most productive calendar year was 2022, with 18 goals, followed by 2012 with 12 and 2021 with 9; he scored 8 goals in each of 2014, 2016, and 2023, and his lightest years were 2020 with 1 goal and 2006, 2008, and 2010 with 2 each.[2](https://www.afa.com.ar/68/posts/lionel-messi-lleva-112-goles-con-la-seleccion-argentina-y-es-el-maximo-artillero-de-la-historia-de-la-albiceleste)
## World Cup goals
Messi's World Cup scoring began as an 18-year-old in Germany in 2006 and ran through his brace in the 2022 final in Qatar.[9](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdwIVC7LaJE) Through 2022 he had 13 World Cup goals, which made him Argentina's top scorer at the tournament, past [Gabriel Batistuta](https://www.edgepedia.org/gabriel-batistuta)'s 10.[2](https://www.afa.com.ar/68/posts/lionel-messi-lleva-112-goles-con-la-seleccion-argentina-y-es-el-maximo-artillero-de-la-historia-de-la-albiceleste) • [10](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/top-scorers-in-world-cup-history)
At the 2026 tournament he broke the all-time record. A hat-trick against Algeria equaled [Miroslav Klose](https://www.edgepedia.org/miroslav-klose)'s mark of 16 World Cup goals, and six days later two goals in Argentina's 2-0 group-stage win over Austria in Dallas on 22 June 2026 made him the tournament's all-time top scorer.[4](https://www.fifa.com/es/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/lionel-messi-record-copa-mundial-qatar-2022) • [11](https://www.fifa.com/en/articles/lionel-messi-all-time-top-scorer-argentina) Opta's match log credits him with 8 goals and 4 assists in 8 matches and 740 minutes at the 2026 World Cup.[12](https://theanalyst.com/players/10705/lionel-messi/national/career) The Associated Press reported his goal against Cape Verde in the 29th minute of a 3-2 extra-time win on 3 July 2026 as his 20th World Cup goal, two ahead of [Kylian Mbappé](https://www.edgepedia.org/kylian-mbappe) on the all-time list, and noted that he had scored in a record eight consecutive World Cup games dating back to Argentina's 2022 title run.[8](https://apnews.com/article/64fe1029d7f5ca97976cd5ac09075c28)
The 2026 campaign also made him the first male player to score in six different FIFA World Cups.[5](https://theweek.com/sport/football/955312/lionel-messi-vs-cristiano-ronaldo-rivalry-all-time-goals-career-stats) Across World Cup history he leads in games played, minutes played, won games, goals scored, and assists; his 13 goals and 8 assists surpass Pelé's 12 goals and 8 assists for the most goal contributions in the tournament's history.[13](https://www.messivsronaldo.app/international-stats/)
His only international goal in extra time came in the 2022 final: with the score 2-2, he scored in the 108th minute to make it 3-2 against France, and Argentina won 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw.[14](https://www.thestatszone.com/all-of-lionel-messis-international-goals-for-argentina-102287)
## Copa América, qualifiers, and other competitions
The [Copa América](https://www.edgepedia.org/copa-america) accounted for 17 of his first 112 goals, beginning with goals against Peru and Mexico at the 2007 edition, and he won the title twice, in 2021 and 2024.[2](https://www.afa.com.ar/68/posts/lionel-messi-lleva-112-goles-con-la-seleccion-argentina-y-es-el-maximo-artillero-de-la-historia-de-la-albiceleste) • [15](https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/sports/2026/9/1/lionel-messi-records-argentina-international-retirement-football) His 109th international goal, against Canada in the [2024 Copa América](https://www.edgepedia.org/2024-copa-america) semifinal, sent Argentina to the final.[16](https://slite.dma.mil/issues/july2024/20240710.pdf)
World Cup qualifiers produced 34 of his first 112 goals. A hat-trick against Bolivia in a 3-0 qualifying win for Qatar 2022 made him the top international goalscorer in South America, passing Pelé.[17](https://inside.fifa.com/es/news/messi-rompe-la-marca-de-pele-cima-continente) Friendlies were his most productive category, with 48 of the first 112 goals, including five against Estonia in 2022 and a five-goal haul against [Guatemala](https://www.edgepedia.org/guatemala) in 2013.[2](https://www.afa.com.ar/68/posts/lionel-messi-lleva-112-goles-con-la-seleccion-argentina-y-es-el-maximo-artillero-de-la-historia-de-la-albiceleste)
His career also included two goals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where Argentina won gold; those goals are not counted in his official senior international tally.[18](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/historico-messi-objetivo-900-f202603-n/)
## Opponents and coaches
Bolivia was his most frequent victim among opponents, with 11 goals, followed by Ecuador with 7 and Uruguay with 6; Venezuela, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Guatemala, and Estonia received 5 each.[2](https://www.afa.com.ar/68/posts/lionel-messi-lleva-112-goles-con-la-seleccion-argentina-y-es-el-maximo-artillero-de-la-historia-de-la-albiceleste) He scored his goals under nine national-team coaches, most under [Lionel Scaloni](https://www.edgepedia.org/lionel-scaloni) (47), then Alejandro Sabella (25) and [Gerardo Martino](https://www.edgepedia.org/gerardo-martino) (13); [Diego Maradona](https://www.edgepedia.org/diego-maradona)'s tenure produced 3.[2](https://www.afa.com.ar/68/posts/lionel-messi-lleva-112-goles-con-la-seleccion-argentina-y-es-el-maximo-artillero-de-la-historia-de-la-albiceleste)
## Comparison with Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo leads the international goals chart 146 to 125, the all-time men's record, while Messi leads in assists and holds more international trophies, five (including the 2022 World Cup) to Ronaldo's three.[3](https://messivsronaldo.football/stats/international) Messi scores a goal every 137 minutes for Argentina, against a goal every 128 minutes for Ronaldo with Portugal.[19](https://www.messivsronaldo.app/) In the 2026 tournament Ronaldo became the first male player to score in six different World Cups as well, matching the mark Messi set at the same tournament.[5](https://theweek.com/sport/football/955312/lionel-messi-vs-cristiano-ronaldo-rivalry-all-time-goals-career-stats)
## End of the record
Messi played his final match for Argentina on 6 October 2026 at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, closing a 21-year international career that included six FIFA World Cups and seven CONMEBOL Copa América editions, alongside South American qualifiers and other tournaments.[6](https://copaamerica.com/en/news/lionel-messi-said-goodbye-to-argentina-national-team) Al Jazeera's retirement summary counted him as Argentina's most-capped player and record scorer, a two-time Copa América winner, and the holder of the record for most World Cup assists.[15](https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/sports/2026/9/1/lionel-messi-records-argentina-international-retirement-football)
## References
1. [Lionel Andrés Messi – Century of International Appearances, RSSSF](https://rsssf.org/miscellaneous/messi-intlg.html)
2. [Lionel Messi lleva 112 goles con la Selección Argentina, AFA](https://www.afa.com.ar/68/posts/lionel-messi-lleva-112-goles-con-la-seleccion-argentina-y-es-el-maximo-artillero-de-la-historia-de-la-albiceleste)
3. [International Stats, Messi vs Ronaldo](https://messivsronaldo.football/stats/international)
4. [¿Cuántos Mundiales jugó Lionel Messi?, FIFA](https://www.fifa.com/es/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/lionel-messi-record-copa-mundial-qatar-2022)
5. [Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo: how they compare, The Week](https://theweek.com/sport/football/955312/lionel-messi-vs-cristiano-ronaldo-rivalry-all-time-goals-career-stats)
6. [Lionel Messi said goodbye to the Argentina National Team, Copa América](https://copaamerica.com/en/news/lionel-messi-said-goodbye-to-argentina-national-team)
7. [FIFA looks back at the magical career of Lionel Messi, FIFA](https://www.fifa.com/en/articles/lionel-messi-argentina-career)
8. [Lionel Messi scores 20th World Cup goal, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/64fe1029d7f5ca97976cd5ac09075c28)
9. [Lionel Messi: All FIFA World Cup Goals (2006–2022), FIFA on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdwIVC7LaJE)
10. [Top scorers in World Cup history, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/top-scorers-in-world-cup-history)
11. [Lionel Messi | Top scorer | Argentina, FIFA](https://www.fifa.com/en/articles/lionel-messi-all-time-top-scorer-argentina)
12. [Lionel Messi International Career History, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/players/10705/lionel-messi/national/career)
13. [International Goals and Stats, messivsronaldo.app](https://www.messivsronaldo.app/international-stats/)
14. [All of Lionel Messi's international goals for Argentina, The Stats Zone](https://www.thestatszone.com/all-of-lionel-messis-international-goals-for-argentina-102287)
15. [Lionel Messi retires: What records and titles does Argentina legend hold?, Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/sports/2026/9/1/lionel-messi-records-argentina-international-retirement-football)
16. [Stripes Lite, 10 July 2024](https://slite.dma.mil/issues/july2024/20240710.pdf)
17. [Messi rompe la marca de Pelé en la cima del continente, FIFA](https://inside.fifa.com/es/news/messi-rompe-la-marca-de-pele-cima-continente)
18. [Histórico Messi: objetivo 900, AS](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/historico-messi-objetivo-900-f202603-n/)
19. [Messi vs Ronaldo – All Time Career Goals and Stats, messivsronaldo.app](https://www.messivsronaldo.app/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football competitions and records › Records and substantive reference › Hat-tricks and goalscoring milestone lists*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license