Lionel Messi’s record for Argentina vs Uruguay and Brazil

Argentina are preparing for two intriguing 2026 World Cup qualifiers against neighbours Uruguay and Brazil.

On Thursday, the world champions welcome Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay to Boca Junior’s iconic Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires for what is set to be a fascinating battle between the two sides.

Messi vs Uruguay

Thursday’s match will be Lionel Messi’s 13th against Uruguay, the tiny nation that continues to produce some of the world’s best talents. Messi’s record against the Celeste to date is eight wins, two draws and two defeats.

The Inter Miami forward has found the back of the net on six occasions against Uruguay, who have called his good friend Luis Suárez back into their squad following his fine recent form with Brazilian outfit Gremio.

Messi’s first goal against Uruguay came in the 2010 qualifiers, in a 2-1 win at El Monumental in 2008 and his last one was in 2021, in a 3-0 victory, again at River Plate’s El Monumental, with Messi opening the scoring in the leafy suburbs of the Argentine capital.

Messi’s international goals

Messi has scored 106 goals in 178 games for Argentina. He is the top scorer in the history of the national team and the player who has played the most games, featuring in five World Cups and leading Lionel Scaloni’s team to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022.

Messi vs Brazil

Next Tuesday’s match at the Maracana will see the No 10 come up against Brazil for the 14th time.

Brazil hold the record of having not lost any home World Cup qualifying match and have also maintained an unbeaten run against Messi. The former Barcelona captain has never scored against Brazil in World Cup qualifying fixtures and is the only opponent he has yet to beat in CONMEBOL competition.

He has faced the Seleção four times in his glittering career. The first time was in 2008, a 0-0 draw in Belo Horizonte, and his last meeting against them also ended in a goalless draw in San Juan in 2021.

His five goals against Brazil have all come in friendlies and his record against the five-time World Cup winners is five wins, two draws and six defeats.

The magician from Rosario found the back of the net against Brazil for the first time in 2010, in a match that Argentina won 1-0. Then, in 2012, he scored a hat-trick in a memorable performance in the United States; Argentina won 4-3, with Messi taking most of the credit for the result. Finally, in 2019, Argentina beat the Canarinha 1-0, with the country’s greatest ever getting on the score sheet after 13 minutes.