With the strikes against Algeria and Jordan in Group J, Lionel Messi officially established a record of scoring against 13 different national teams.
The aforementioned achievement helps “El Pulga” leave world football legends far behind. Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany), Ronaldo Nazario (Brazil), and Miroslav Klose (Germany) share second place, having each scored against 10 different national teams at the planet’s biggest football festival.
The list of teams conquered by Messi spans across 6 World Cups and belongs to multiple continental confederations. In Europe, he scored against Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, the Netherlands, Croatia, and France. In other regions, the list includes Nigeria, Algeria (Africa), Iran, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Jordan (Asia), and Mexico (North America).
This new milestone continues to solidify his status in football history. Besides scoring against the most national teams, the Argentine superstar currently also holds the record for the greatest goalscorer in the tournament’s history with a total of 19 strikes.
With the goal against Jordan on the morning of June 28, the number 10 star has pocketed 6 strikes on North American soil, thereby leading the Golden Shoe race.
After securing a ticket to the knockout round as the winner of Group J, the defending champions will face Cape Verde on July 4. Despite Bubista and his students causing a surprise by finishing second in Group H, this is considered a gentle challenge for the South American representative.
