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Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni explained why Lionel Messi is content with playing for the national team after the latter put in a man-of-the-match performance during their 2-0 win against Peru last night (October 17).
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner returned to the starting XI at the Estadio Nacional de Lima after recovering from a muscular strain. He was able to make an instant impact in the 32nd minute, finding the back of the net from inside the box from an Enzo Fernandez assist.
Fernandez grabbed his second assist of the night 10 minutes later, setting up Messi once again, who made no mistake to double Argentina's advantage. The 36-year-old looked back to his best and was a constant threat for Peru.
Messi had a phenomenal outing, landing five shots in total, creating one big chance, and scoring two goals. He also won five duels and had a pass accuracy of 81%.
Scaloni praised the Inter Miami ace, saying (via @Argentina on X):
"The most important thing is that Messi is healthy. He manages the minutes alone. The team has understood Messi for a while, it benefits him and he feels comfortable. I hope he plays as much as he can because everyone is happy seeing him on the field."
With his two against against Peru, Lionel Messi reached an impressive career total of 106 goals in 176 appearances for the Argentina national team. He also broke an impressive record, becoming the all-time top-scorer in CONMEBOL qualifiers with 31 goals in 63 matches.
Argentina's 2-0 win against Peru meant they retained their spot at the summit of the CONMEBOL standings with 12 points from four games. They next face second-placed Uruguay on November 16 in their quest to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Peru vs Lionel Messi's Argentina: Exploring the stats from World Cup qualifier
Lionel Messi guided Argentina to a comfortable 2-0 win against Peru away from home in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Tuesday. Let's take a look at the stats to see how both teams performed.
Argentina dominated possession, having 66% of the ball. They also completed 673 passes with an accuracy of 89%. In contrast, Peru had 34% possession and registered 339 passes with an accuracy of 79%.
The Albiceleste looked more threatening in attack, landing 10 shots in total with six being on target. On the other hand, Peru had six shots in total, with none of their attempts being on target.
