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On March 24, Lionel Messi and Argentina celebrated their 2022 World Cup triumph with a memorable homecoming 2-0 victory over Panama in Buenos Aires, in what was their first match since winning the World Cup. Messi scored his 800th career goal, becoming only the second player after Cristiano Ronaldo to reach this impressive milestone. Messi's 800 career goals include 672 goals over 17 seasons for Barcelona and 29 for Paris Saint-Germain, as well as 99 international goals, with two coming in the World Cup final.
In the game against Panama, Thiago Almada scored the opening goal, prompting initial celebrations before Messi found the top-right corner with a free-kick in the 89th minute. The fans at the Monumental de Nunez Stadium in Buenos Aires were ecstatic when Messi got on the scoresheet, and he paraded around the pitch with his family and the World Cup trophy after the match, saying, "I always dreamed of this moment, celebrating with you."
If Messi scores another goal in Argentina's upcoming friendly match against Curacao on March 29, he will reach the landmark of 100 goals for the national team. With 172 appearances, Messi is already Argentina's most-capped player, and he has a significant lead over legendary striker Gabriel Batistuta in terms of his record goal tally. Batistuta scored 56 goals in 78 appearances, while Messi has scored 99 international goals so far.
