Lionel Messi scored a record 18 goals in 2022 with the Argentina national team.

Another day, another Lionel Messi record. Prior to 2022, the record for most goals in a calendar year for the Argentina national team was 12 goals. That record was held by both Lionel Messi and Gabriel Batistuta.

But in 2022, Messi shattered that record. The World champion scored 18, with seven of them coming at the World Cup. Here were his goals for the year:

Goal 1: Venezuela, World Cup qualifier
Goal 2: Estonia, friendly
Goal 3: Estonia, friendly
Goal 4: Estonia, friendly
Goal 5: Estonia, friendly
Goal 6: Estonia, friendly
Goal 7: Honduras, friendly
Goal 8: Honduras, friendly
Goal 9: Jamaica, friendly
Goal 10: Jamaica, friendly
Goal 11: United Arab Emirates, friendly
Goal 12: Saudi Arabia, World Cup
Goal 13: Mexico, World Cup
Goal 14: Australia, World Cup
Goal 15: Netherlands, World Cup
Goal 16: Croatia, World Cup
Goal 17: France, World Cup
Goal 18: France, World Cup

For the first time in his career, Messi scored five goals in one match with the Argentina national team. He also scored in every match of the knockout stages at the World Cup!

A video has emerged of the third World Cup star being added to the Argentina national team shirt.

Argentina will get their third star and the third one will be above the other two. The three stars will not be aligned one next to the other but instead the original two will remain with the third being added above them in the middle.

The third star! ⭐🌟⭐ Via @endemianado.pic.twitter.com/XfKX7o3ny3

— Mundo Albiceleste ⭐🌟⭐🇦🇷 (@MundoAlbicelest) December 19, 2022

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni bursted into tears as Gonzalo Montiel scored and Argentina won the World Cup.

Lionel Scaloni is the first Argentine coach since Carlos Bilardo to lift a World Cup. And his emotions at half time were a thing of beauty.

Scaloni would sit on the bench before standing back up and letting his emotions out as he was hugged by Leandro Paredes.

Gracias Scaloni! pic.twitter.com/5gLknAD8rx

— 𝐀𝐖 (@4ndyWS) December 18, 2022