Lionel Messi Scores Fastest Goal In International Friendly Against Australia | WATCH VIDEO
Beijing: Lionel Messi scored the fastest-ever goal in his career for Argentina when the former Barcelona superstar curled one home against Australia in just 80 seconds in an international friendly on Thursday.
Setting onto the field for the first time since his Inter Miami move, Messi punished the opponent for giving him space and the Argentine World Cup winner slotted the ball home past opposition goalie Mat Ryan in a low finish.
Messi’s previous fastest goal was in 127 seconds back in 2018 when he scored for Barcelona against Chelsea in an UEFA Champions League clash. Incidentally, Argentina knocked out Australia in the last 16 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar before going on to lift the title.
Lionel Messi.
THE GREASTEST THERE IS. THE GREATEST THERE WAS. THE GREATEST THERE EVER WILL BE.
pic.twitter.com/v5Iquy5ONu— george (@StokeyyG2) June 15, 2023
Argentina won the game 2-0 and will take on Indonesia in Jakarta on Monday. German Pezzella scored the other goal for Argentina on 68 minutes. It was Messi’s seventh goal in seven consecutive games for Argentina and also his first-ever goal in the opening two minutes of a game.
“Due to age it is difficult to play the next World Cup. Now there are the Qualifiers and the Copa America. It was difficult to play because of the heat and humidity, but despite everything, we continued to play with the same idea,” said Messi after the game.
Asked about his retirement, Messi said, “I’m a World Champion and I can’t retire from international football just yet… I have to enjoy it all!”
Meanwhile, Messi shifted hi base to United States after he decided not to renew his contract with Ligue 1 giants PSG at the end of the season. After his departure from the French club, the former Barcelona star was rumoured to return to his boyhood club but instead moved to Inter Miami.
“I’m not going back to Barça, I’m going to Inter Miami,” Messi had said in a statement with Mundo Deportivo. “I made the decision that I’m going to go to Miami. I still haven’t closed it one hundred percent. I’m missing some things but we decided to continue on the path.
“If the Barcelona thing didn’t come out, I wanted to leave Europe, get out of the spotlight and think more in my family,” he added.