Lionel Messi became the all-time leading scorer in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers with his second goal in Argentina's game in Ecuador on Tuesday night.

Argentina's World Cup hopes were already in jeopardy when the night began and they went on concede within 38 seconds, but Messi rallied them back with a pair of goals in the first 20 minutes.

The first strike moved into a tied with his countryman Hernan Crespo and Urgugay's Luis Suarez on 19, and the 20th of his career gave him the record.

Messi completed his hat trick in the second half to move onto 21 goals in 45 World Cup qualifiers in his career, just minutes before Suarez scored his 20th for Uruguay.

The game marked the third time that Messi has scored multiple times in a World Cup qualifier.

They were also his first goals away from Argentina in the current qualifying campaign.

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by ESPN Staff

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