Do Lionel Messi Deserves the world cup?

With over 750 senior goals for club and country, Lionel Messi’s credentials as one of the greatest goal scorers in football history are beyond any doubt.

However, the Argentinian master had struggled to live up to these lofty standards on the FIFA World Cup stage until an incredible showing Qatar 2022, which helped Argentina to their third world title.

Lionel Messi has scored 13 goals in 26 matches at the FIFA World Cup, spanning five editions (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022). Messi is the highest goal-scorer for Argentina at the football World Cup.

The stats put Leo Messi’s scoring rate at football World Cups at 0.50 goals per game. Though an impressive number, it is lower than the 0.56 goals per game he boasts in his international outings with Argentina.

Lionel Messi has netted 98 goals in 172 international matches in his career, making him the top goal scorer of all time for Argentina. Messi is also third on the list of highest goal scorers in international football and second amongst active players, only behind rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

At the World Cups, Messi features a little lower down the list. Germany’s Miroslav Klose (16 goals from 24 matches) is the highest scorer at the quadrennial meet.

Before Messi, Gabriel Batistuta (10 goals from 12 matches) was Argentina’s most prolific scorer at FIFA World Cups. Diego Maradona (21 matches) and Uruguay 1930 Golden Boot winner Guillermo Stabile (four matches) have scored eight goals each.

Lionel Messi also has an impressive goal-scoring record in FIFA World Cup qualifiers, having netted 28 times in 60 appearances.

Lionel Messi came at the FIFA World Cup 2022 at the age of 35 and improved his World Cup goal-scoring record considerably in Qatar.

Here’s a look at the Argentinian icon’s goals at the FIFA World Cup.