How Many International Caps Does Lionel Messi Have?

Lionel Messi: An International Soccer Legend

Lionel Messi is one of the most iconic soccer players of all time. He has won the Ballon d’Or award a record seven times, and he has led Argentina to three major international finals. But how many international caps does Messi have?

In this article, we will take a look at Messi’s international career, from his early days with the Argentina national team to his most recent successes. We will also discuss his record-breaking goals tally and his impact on the game of soccer.

So without further ado, let’s take a closer look at Lionel Messi, one of the greatest soccer players of all time.

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Year Caps Goals
2005 1 0
2006 11 5
2007 17 11
2008 14 6
2009 13 12
2010 14 12
2011 13 11
2012 13 10
2013 13 10
2014 13 10
2015 13 10
2016 13 10
2017 13 10
2018 13 10
2019 13 10
2020 13 10

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Lionel Messi is one of the greatest footballers of all time, and his international career is no exception. He has represented Argentina at the highest level for over 15 years, and has helped the team to win the Copa Amrica twice and the FIFA World Cup. He is Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer, and has also set a number of international records.

In this article, we will take a closer look at Messi’s international career. We will discuss his debut for Argentina, his major international tournaments, his goals and assists, and his international records. We will also assess his impact on Argentina’s national team, and consider his status as one of the greatest international footballers of all time.

Messi’s International Career

Lionel Messi made his international debut for Argentina on 17 August 2005, in a friendly match against Hungary. He was just 17 years old at the time, and came on as a substitute in the second half. He scored his first international goal in a friendly match against Croatia on 1 March 2006.

Messi has represented Argentina at the following major international tournaments:

  • 2006 FIFA World Cup
  • 2007 Copa Amrica
  • 2011 Copa Amrica
  • 2014 FIFA World Cup
  • 2015 Copa Amrica
  • 2016 Copa Amrica Centenario
  • 2018 FIFA World Cup
  • 2021 Copa Amrica

At the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Messi was Argentina’s youngest player. He played in all three of Argentina’s group stage matches, but the team was eliminated in the round of 16.

At the 2007 Copa Amrica, Messi was Argentina’s top scorer with four goals. He helped the team to reach the final, where they lost to Brazil on penalties.

At the 2011 Copa Amrica, Messi was again Argentina’s top scorer with five goals. He helped the team to reach the final, where they lost to Uruguay on penalties.

At the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Messi was Argentina’s captain. He led the team to the final, where they lost to Germany 1-0. Messi was named the player of the tournament.

At the 2015 Copa Amrica, Messi was Argentina’s top scorer with six goals. He helped the team to reach the final, where they lost to Chile on penalties.

At the 2016 Copa Amrica Centenario, Messi was Argentina’s top scorer with five goals. He helped the team to reach the final, where they lost to Chile on penalties for the second consecutive tournament.

At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Messi was Argentina’s captain. He led the team to the round of 16, where they were eliminated by France.

At the 2021 Copa Amrica, Messi finally led Argentina to victory. The team defeated Brazil 1-0 in the final, and Messi was named the player of the tournament for the second time.

Messi’s International Goals and Assists

Lionel Messi has scored 86 goals for Argentina in 162 appearances. He is Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer. He has also provided 47 assists for Argentina.

Messi’s most prolific international goalscoring year was 2012, when he scored 12 goals in 13 appearances. He has also scored five goals in a single international match on three occasions.

Messi’s most important international goals came in the 2021 Copa Amrica final, when he scored the winning goal in Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Brazil. This goal secured Argentina’s first major international title since 1993.

Messi’s International Records

Lionel Messi holds a number of international records. He is Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer, with 86 goals. He is also Argentina’s all-time leading assist provider, with 47 assists.

Messi also holds the record for the most goals scored in a single international match for Argentina. He scored five goals in Argentina’s 12-0 victory over Estonia in 2012.

Messi has also won a number of individual awards for his international performances. He has been named the South American Footballer of the Year five times, and has been named the FIFA World Player of the Year six times. He was also named the player of the tournament at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2021 Copa Amrica.

Messi’s International Legacy

Lionel Messi is one of the greatest footballers of all time, and his international career is no exception.

3. International Caps and Goals

Lionel Messi has represented Argentina at the senior international level since 2005. He has made a total of 162 appearances for the national team, scoring 86 goals.

  • Messi’s total number of international caps: 162
  • Messi’s total number of international goals: 86
  • Messi’s international goals-to-game ratio: 0.53

4. Messi’s International Awards and Honors

Lionel Messi has won a number of individual and team awards for his international performances.

  • Individual awards
  • 2008 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball
  • 2014 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot
  • 2015 Copa Amrica Golden Ball
  • 2016 Copa Amrica Centenario Golden Boot
  • 2021 Copa Amrica Golden Boot
  • Team awards
  • 2021 Copa Amrica Champion
  • 2022 FIFA World Cup Final Runner-up
  • Overall international honors
  • 2x Copa Amrica Champion
  • 1x FIFA World Cup Final Runner-up

    How many international caps does Messi have?

Lionel Messi has 162 international caps for Argentina. He made his international debut on 17 August 2005, in a friendly match against Hungary. He has scored 86 goals for his country, making him the all-time leading goalscorer for Argentina.

What is Messi’s record for Argentina?

Messi has won the following trophies with Argentina:

  • Olympic gold medal (2008)
  • Copa Amrica (2021)
  • Copa Amrica Centenario (2016)
  • FIFA World Cup runner-up (2014)

He has also been named the Player of the Tournament at the Copa Amrica three times (2007, 2015, and 2021).

Is Messi the most capped player for Argentina?

No, Javier Mascherano is the most capped player for Argentina, with 147 caps. Messi is second on the list, followed by Diego Maradona (116 caps) and Javier Zanetti (145 caps).

What is Messi’s goalscoring record for Argentina?

Messi is the all-time leading goalscorer for Argentina, with 86 goals. He has scored goals in all major tournaments for Argentina, including the World Cup, Copa Amrica, and the Olympics.

What is Messi’s best performance for Argentina?

Messi’s best performance for Argentina came in the 2021 Copa Amrica final, when he scored two goals to help Argentina win the tournament for the first time since 1993. He was also named the Player of the Tournament.

What are Messi’s future goals for Argentina?

Messi has said that he wants to win the World Cup with Argentina. He has come close on two occasions, but has never been able to lift the trophy. He will be 35 years old when the next World Cup takes place in 2022, so it is unlikely that he will have many more chances to win the tournament. However, Messi is still one of the best players in the world, and he will be a major factor if Argentina does qualify for the World Cup.

Lionel Messi has 162 international caps for Argentina. He has scored 86 goals for his country, making him the all-time leading goalscorer for Argentina. Messi has represented Argentina at the World Cup on four occasions, reaching the final in 2014. He has also won the Copa Amrica on four occasions, in 2007, 2015, 2016, and 2021.

Messi is widely considered to be one of the greatest footballers of all time. He is a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, a four-time UEFA Champions League winner, and a three-time Copa Amrica winner. He is also the all-time leading goalscorer for both Barcelona and Argentina.

Messi’s international career has been marked by both success and disappointment. He has helped Argentina to win four major trophies, but he has also failed to lead his country to a World Cup title. Despite this, Messi remains one of the most popular and successful footballers in the world. He is an inspiration to millions of people around the world, and his legacy will continue to grow for many years to come.

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Kane Whitaker
Kane Whitaker
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