Messi surpasses Batistuta to become Argentina's all-time top goalscorer

Batigol is no longer Argentina's all time top scorer after Lionel Messi's free kick against the United States

Whether or not you think Lionel Messi is better than Diego Maradona, he is now Argentina's all time top scorer following a ridiculous free kick during Argentina's 4-0 demolition of the United States in the Copa América Centenario.

#CopaAméricaEnTyC ¡CIERREN TODO POR FAVOR! ¡MIRÁ EL GOLAZO QUE HIZO MESSI PARA EL 2-0 ANTE EEUU! https://t.co/cGdaUkLHy6

— TyC Sports Play (@TyCSportsPlay) June 22, 2016

This was Messi's 55th goal in 112 games for Argentina, surpassing Fiorentina legend Gabriel Batistuta's 54 goal international haul. Of course Batigol scored 54 goals in 77 games for an impressive 0.701 goals per game average, compared to Messi's 0.491 goals per game. Messi can take solace in the fact that his average is ahead of Maradona's 0.374 goals per game (34 goals in 91 games), although El Diego often started from the midfield.

Batistuta played for Argentina from 1991 to 2002, winning the Copa América in 1991 and 1993. He was the Copa's top scorer in 1991 and 1995, as well as the FIFA World Cup Silver Shoe (runner-up) in 1998. In other Fiorentina related achievements, the highest scoring international defenseman for Argentina is Daniel Passarellas, with 23 goals in 70 games (8th overall).

Argentina play the winner of Chile vs Colombia in the Centenario final. If they win, it will be Messi's first international trophy with Argentina and Argentina's first Copa América title since 1993, if you want to count it. Messi was awarded the Golden Ball as the best player of the 2014 World Cup, where Argentina lost to Germany in the finals. It is believed Messi rejected the player of the tournament award for last year's regular Copa América, following Argentina's loss to Chile.