Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi has been honoured for his FIFA World Cup heroics with a statue at the CONMEBOL museum of South American football.

It was time for a South American team to win the World Cup again." The 35-year-old has also laid on 55 assists. "I had a very long road, many decisions and defeats, but I always looked ahead and wanted to go for a triumph, for a victory.

Messi also received replicas of the World Cup and the Finalissima trophy, which Argentina won against Italy, during the ceremony before the Copa Libertadores ...

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The Argentina legend was anointed on stage with the 'baton of football' in a ceremony which played tribute to the many achievements of the Albiceleste.

Lionel Messi is given ceremonial baton in bizarre CONMEBOL tribute which hands him 'leadership and command of world football'... Thank God I can achieve everything in football. But Messi said he believes the World Cup win is his greatest achievement as he was reunited with the trophy on stage [Barcelona](/sport/teampages/barcelona.html) man was handed a ceremonial baton as part of a declaration by the South American footballing organisation's president, Alejandro Dominguez, that Messi was the greatest footballer in the world. Lionel Messi received a bizarre tribute as part of CONMEBOL's celebration of the - The 'baton of football' was handed to Messi by the CONMEBOL president

A life-like statue of Lionel Messi was unveiled in front of the Argentine forward and his team-mates at an event in Paraguay on Monday night.

It was eventually replaced after 15 months by a much-improved effort but the original statue has lived long in the memory and was compared to Messi's own figure by a number of observers on social media. Following the ceremony, fans on Twitter were quick to point out that Messi's statue looked a lot better than that of long-time rival Ronaldo, which is on display outside the airport in his home city of Funchal in Madeira. Messi, who recently completed his trophy cabinet by winning the World Cup in December, was in attendance and looked emotional as the statue was revealed at the CONMEBOL museum in Paraguay.

Paris Saint-Germain star Lionel Messi has had a statue unveiled in his honour after leading Argentina to World Cup glory for the first time since 1986.

talkSPORT is also widely available across the UK on 1089 or 1053 AM. [switch to Saudi Arabia](https://talksport.com/football/1362882/lionel-messi-salary-cristiano-ronaldo-psg-saudi-arabia-transfer-news/) to join Ronaldo in the Gulf nation. [MLS outfit Inter Miami are also claimed to be interested](https://talksport.com/football/1353986/lionel-messi-inter-miami-paris-saint-germain/) in securing his services. [Cristiano Ronaldo’s bust](https://talksport.com/football/687018/worst-football-statues-world-cristiano-ronaldo-bust-five-years/) in Portugal to shame. [Messi stormed down the tunnel](https://talksport.com/football/1367550/lionel-messi-psg-storms-down-tunnel-rennes-defeat/) in the aftermath of their 2-0 defeat against Rennes before the international break. [La Albiceleste](https://talksport.com/sport/football/team/113006/argentina/) to their last World Cup success.

Lionel Messi has become the third player to score 100 goals in men's international soccer. Messi's 100th senior goal for Argentina came against Curacao.

Lionel Messi has surpassed 100 career goals for Argentina with three in the first half of an interntaional friendly against Curacao.

SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO, Argentina — Lionel Messi scored a hat trick and surpassed 100 career goals for Argentina with three in the first half of Tuesday’s international friendly against Curacao. Two minutes earlier he had assisted Enzo Fernandez’ blast from the edge of the box. Messi then scored his 101st for Argentina in the 33rd minute with a crossed shot to the right of the goalkeeper and his 102nd in the 37th after an easy run to score.

Messi scored a first-half hat-trick in Argentina's 7-0 rout of Curaçao on Tuesday, which brought his international goal tally to 102.

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Lionel Messi can't stop scoring when he puts on the Argentina jersey. The reigning FIFA World Player of the Year netted a first-half hat-trick on Tuesday in ...

And if that weren't special enough, he followed that up with goal No. It was the ninth international hat-trick of his career, and 50th of his professional career between club and country. The reigning FIFA World Player of the Year netted a first-half hat-trick on Tuesday in a demolition of No.