Lionel Messi scores 800th career goal with Argentina

PSG forward and Argentine world champion Lionel Messi scored his 800th career goal for club and country scoring a free-kick in Argentina's 2-0 victory over Panama in the first game of the South American country after getting crowned in the Qatar World Cup.

Walking or not, Messi always delivers and PSG knows a thing or two about that. The game was already in the final stretch and about to enter injury time when Messi hit his 800th banger to double his country's lead over Panama adding to Thiago Almada's effort from early in the match.

It was a truly unstoppable free-kick, and it marked another historic feat in Messi's long-GOAT career. The superstar lifted the World Cup trophy in front of the 80,000 fans present at El Monumental in Buenos Aires, home of River Plate.

Lionel Messi scored his 800th career goal, is one short of scoring 100 with Argentina

After scoring one goal on Thursday, Messi will have another shot (no pun intended) at breaking another record the next time he dresses in Argentine colors. The next goal scored by the little genius will become his 100th goal with the senior national team, and it could happen next Tuesday, Mar. 28 when Argentina will be taking on Curacao at Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero.

Paying homage to the 2022 World Cup champs, manager Lionel Scaloni picked the same starting XI that faced France in the final of the winter tournament. Even then, though, Argentina found it hard to break Panama down and it took them until the 79th minute to finally find paydirt.

All members of Argentina's World Cup squad attended the game on Thursday, with most of them bringing their closest family members to the stadium taking advantage of the two-week international break and having such ample room to relax.

Argentina will continue their World Cup celebratory tour around the country with a friendly against Curacao on Tuesday.