Argentine star Lionel Messi scored his first goal in the current Copa America edition, chasing his eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi found the net against Canada with a second goal, leading Argentina to a 2-0 victory, with Julian Alvarez from Manchester City opening the score.
With this goal, Leo raised his tally to 109 goals in 186 matches wearing the national team jersey, including 14 in 38 Copa America matches. With his goal against Canada, he surpassed Iranian legend Ali Daei to become the second all-time top scorer for national teams, behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 130 goals in 212 matches.
The veteran Argentine star has continued to score against opponents in six different editions of the Copa America: 2007, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, and 2024. He is also preparing for his seventh final with his national team after the World Cups in 2014 and 2022, and the Copa America in 2007, 2015, 2016, and 2021.
Messi has also become the player with the most "Man of the Match" awards in Copa America history, with a total of 14. The Argentina captain hopes to win the Copa America title for the second consecutive time, adding it to his World Cup title in 2022.
