Messi passes Batistuta as Argentina's all-time World Cup top scorer

After scoring the penalty in the first half of the semi-final against Croatia, Lionel Messi passes Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina's all-time World Cup top scorer.

Since the 1966 edition, no player has scored or assisted in more different World Cup matches than Lionel Messi (13 – level with Ronaldo). 

Lionel Messi has overtaken Argentina football icon Gabriel Batistuta as the nation’s top ever scorer at a World Cup after he gave them the lead in Tuesday’s World Cup semi-final against Croatia.

Messi opened the scoring with a lethal left-footed finish from the penalty spot after Julian Alvarez was taken down by Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic inside the area. Messi stepped up to convert from the spot and net his 11 th World Cup goal.

The Paris Saint-Germain superstar had levelled Batistuta’s World Cup tally of ten goals in Friday’s quarter-final progression against the Netherlands with a coolly-converted second-half penalty, before also scoring in the penalty shootout.