All of Lionel Messi’s international goals for Argentina

Lionel Messi has scored 122 goals so far for Argentina over the course of his glittering international career and is the highest scoring South American in men’s football history.

Since his first Argentina goal back in 2006 against Croatia, Messi has since gone on to break numerous goalscoring records whilst representing his country. Nobody has scored more goals for Argentina than Messi, who boasts more than double the number of goals managed by Gabriel Batistuta (55), Argentina’s second-highest goalscorer of all-time. Messi has also surpassed the likes of Sergio Aguero, Hernan Crespo and the great Diego Maradona.

Of all his international goals, 18 have come at the FIFA World Cup, with his first coming as an 18-year-old against Serbia and Montenegro in his first FIFA World Cup appearance.

But as Messi continues to add to his international goal tally, we look at how he has managed to record such incredible numbers for Argentina and analyse all his international goals.

Last updated after his two goals against Austria in June 2026

By Year

• Messi’s best year in front of goal for Argentina came in 2022, when he scored 18 goals across all competitions.
• Since his first international goal in 2006, Messi has recorded a double-figure number of goals in 2012 and also 2022.

By Competition

• Over half of Messi’s goals have been scored across competitive competitions whether they be qualification campaigns, the FIFA World Cup or the Copa America.
• As it stands, the Argentinian has accumulated 32 goals across two major international tournaments in the Copa America and FIFA World Cup.

By Pitch Area

• Messi has proven his potency inside the penalty area, with 69.7% of his international goals having been scored in that area of pitch (not including goals inside the 6-yard box).
• 28 of Messi's goals have been scored from outside the penalty area.

Method Of Goals

• Against Bolivia in 2025, Messi scored with his left foot for the 100th time.
• In total contrast to the 88.5% of goals Messi has scored with his left foot, only 1.6% of his international goals have been headers (2).

Type Of Goals

• Almost 70% of Messi's goals have been scored from open play.
• Messi has long-established himself as an effective penalty taker with over 20% of his goals coming from the spot.

By Half

• Whilst there is a fairly even spread between Messi's first-half and second-half goals, he does boast more goals in the second period of games as opposed to the first.
• Of all his goals for Argentina, only one has come during a period of extra time, that being in the 2022 World Cup final against France when Messi scored in the 108th minute to make it 3-2 (Argentina won 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw).

By Minute

• The numbers suggest that Messi's biggest goalscoring threat comes in the latter stages of a half, having scored 60 goals across the final 15 minutes of the first/second half (this includes stoppage time).
• Post the hour-mark, Messi has racked up 50 goals, adding weight to the theory that he becomes more of a goal threat as opponents tire and his notoriously high fitness levels come into play.

Nations Scored Against

• Messi has found the net against 42 nations across the world over the course of his international career.
• Bolivia are the only nation to have conceded a double-figure number of goals at the hands of the Argentinian.

Goalkeepers Scored Against

• Messi has scored past 71 goalkeepers over the course of his international career, with four of those having conceded three or more goals when facing him.
• Some notable names among those goalkeepers would be former Barcelona teammate Claudio Bravo (long-time first-choice 'keeper for Chile) and former Uruguayan stopper Fernando Muslera, whilst Bolivian goalkeeper Carlos Lampe has conceded the most number of Messi goals across his international career (6).

Top Assisters

• Long-time teammate Angel Di Maria has assisted Messi the most number of times for Argentina across his career, setting up 11 Messi goals in total.
• In total, 34 players have assisted Messi whilst playing for Argentina, but only five of those players have set him up more than four times.