Lionel Messi Creates History in Argentina vs. Peru World Cup Qualifier

During Argentina's 2-0 victory over Peru on Tuesday, Lionel Messi achieved another remarkable milestone in his illustrious career by becoming the highest-scoring player in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying history.

In the first half, Lionel Messi, the star player for Inter Miami, showcased his brilliance by netting two sensational left-footed goals from the outskirts of the penalty area. These remarkable strikes propelled his team to a stronger position at the top of the standings in South American qualifying.

In addition, the striker from Inter Miami surpassed his compatriot, Luis Suarez, as the top scorer in Conmebol World Cup qualifiers, having now netted an impressive 30 goals.

Lionel Messi passes Luis Suárez as the all-time top scorer in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying  pic.twitter.com/LBV4jTRE1D

— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 18, 2023

Despite a recent setback due to scar tissue issues that caused him to miss playing for Inter Miami, the 36-year-old has made a triumphant return to the field, displaying his exceptional skills throughout the entire 90 minutes of the match for Argentina.

In the second half, Lionel Messi came close to securing his hat-trick goal, but a VAR review rightfully disallowed his tap-in. Peru made efforts to find a way back into the game and had some promising attacking moments. However, Argentina's staunch defense confidently maintained their lead, ensuring an ideal evening for Lionel Scaloni's team.

After starting and scoring in the initial qualifier against Ecuador on September 7th, Messi was unable to participate in the subsequent 3-0 victory over Bolivia due to fatigue. However, he made his return last Thursday and contributed 37 minutes to Argentina's win against Paraguay. Finally, on Tuesday, Messi featured as a starter for the first time in nearly a month during the match against Peru.

Next month, Argentina will resume their World Cup qualifying campaign with two challenging fixtures against prominent regional opponents - Uruguay and Brazil. They will commence by hosting Uruguay on November 16th and then embark on a journey to Brazil on November 21st.