The 34-year-old Messi started the Copa America match against Bolivia at the Arena Pantanal on Monday, marking his 148th appearance for the national team
Record-chasing Lionel Messi doesn't want to rest at the Copa America despite Argentina already having secured its place in the quarterfinals.
As La Pulga turns 34 on Thursday, Messi is nowhere close to extending his two-decade-old Barcelona stay with current contract running out at the end of this month.
The win also put Argentina atop Group A with seven points from three matches; helping them reach the tournament's knockout stages.
Argentina are looking to Lionel Messi to help it secure a spot in the Copa America knockout stages with a win against Paraguay.
Argentina and Uruguay go into Friday's Copa America encounter with neither team having won in three games since November.
Speaking after the match, Messi made his dissatisfaction heard on team's performance saying that the team failed to show calmness and quick ball movement during the match while pointing out that conceding the penalty changed the game.
Messi's 57th goal from a direct free-kick overall meant the FC Barcelona star is now five goals shy of Diego Maradona's Argentina record of 62 goals from such a dead-ball situation.
The game at the Nilton Santos stadium in Rio de Janeiro was also marked by a tribute to Argentine football great Diego Maradona, who died in November at age 60.
The 33-year-old football star might have one of his final chances at the Copa America.
The 36-year-old Chhetri has more than once brushed aside any comparison with Messi whom he has overtaken to be the second highest international goal-scorer among active players.
Defender Juan Foyth and striker Lucas Ocampos are the most notable absentees from the 28-player squad, despite featuring regularly since Lionel Scaloni became head coach in 2018.
The seasoned striker, who helped India register their first win in six years in World Cup qualifiers, now stands only behind Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (103) in the active international goal-scorers' list.
The 36-year-old Chhetri achieved the staggering feat with his brace against against Bangladesh in the joint preliminary qualifying round match for 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup here on Monday night.
While the famed manager is impressed with England he couldn't help but admire the strength and quality of current world champions France.
The result will keep Lionel Messi's Argentine team in second spot in South American qualifying if leader Brazil doesn't lose to Ecuador in Porto Alegre on Friday.
Messi, his teammates and coach Lionel Scaloni watched the unveiling of a bronze statue of the soccer great at the Único Madres de Ciudades stadium, in Santiago del Estero.
Messi has reached a two-year contract with Barca and all he needs to do is sign a new paper to confirm the deal, reports Spanish sports daily Marca.
Barcelona finished the Spanish league in third place and was knocked out of the Champions League in the last 16. Its only title was the Copa del Rey.
Messi's contract expires at the end of this season, and he hasn't given an indication he will sign a new one.
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