Lionel Messi creates HISTORY, scores FIVE goals to go past Pele’s record in international friendly for Argentina against Estonia

Lionel Messi also overtook Brazil legend Pele to become the second-highest goal-scorer in history behind Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi now has 769 career goals for club and country while Ronaldo leads the way with 813 goals in his career.

Argentina captain Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring against Estonia in an international friendly match. (Source: Twitter)

Argentina captain Lionel Messi became the first man to score five goals in a game in a European Cup or UEFA Champions League game as well as an international football clash as he scored five goals for Argentina against Estonia on Sunday (June 5) in a 5-0 friendly win.

The PSG forward’s goal-scoring spree equalled his career best between club and country for a single match, tying the mark he set in the Champions League against Bayer Leverkusen in 2012. Messi has enjoyed a fantastic couple of weeks for the Albiceleste, as he played a lead role in their Finalissima victory over Italy last Wednesday.

The Goat's Way

RECORD

# Lionel Messi made history by becoming the first player from Argentina to ever score five goals in a single match for his country #Messi #ArgentinaEstonia #VamosArgentina pic.twitter.com/Cf3ub5CYcL — kotbal101 (@Kotbal101) June 5, 2022

Messi opened the scoring through a 8th-minute penalty and then scored again in 45th-minute, 47th-minute, 70th-minute and  finally in the 75th-minute left-footed shot from centre of box

“What Leo generates is incredible,” said teammate Alejandro Gomez after the match. “We know that in front of the goal he doesn’t forgive you.”

“I don’t know what else to say about Messi, it’s very difficult. You have no words left to describe him. Everything he generates is unique and it's a pleasure to have him in this group. I only have words of thanks to him. It's a pleasure to see him,” head coach Lionel Scaloni.

In the process, Messi also overtook Brazil legend Pele to become the second-highest goal-scorer in history behind Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi now has 769 career goals for club and country while Ronaldo leads the way with 813 goals in his career. Pele had scored 767 goals in his illustrious career.

Messi’s efforts also matched the best goal scoring performance for Argentina in a single match. He was already well clear at the top of the charts as Argentina’s record goal scorer and he has now matched Manuel Seoane in 1925 and Juan Marvezzi in 1941 by netting five times in a game.