👑 Lionel Messi breaks a World Cup record, then equals Argentine history | OneFootball

Until last weekend, Lionel Messi had never scored in a World Cup knockout match. But the game isn’t always all about who scores the goals.

Messi did get his goal in the knockout rounds last week, netting the opener in the win against Australia, and another against the Netherlands on Friday, but he has often carried Argentina even when not scoring and that was the case to get his side off the mark again in the 2022 quarter-final.

A sensational pass took the entire Dutch defence out of the game and saw Nahuel Molina through on goal to poke home the opener.

It also saw Messi make history, becoming the first player to ever assist five goals in the World Cup knockout rounds.

And with that, one of Pelé’s records has changed hands, rubbing yet more salt in the wounds of Brazil’s exit from the tournament earlier on in the day.

Messi stepped up later in the day to make it 2-0 from the penalty spot, in the process equalling Gabriel Batistuta’s Argentina record of eight goals at World Cup finals.