5 players who could score more goals than Lionel Messi at Copa America 2024
Lionel Messi will be back with Argentina in a fortnight as the Albiceleste look to win their third consecutive international trophy at the Copa America 2024. Messi has been in red-hot form for his country and will be looking to sign off on a high, as he will likely play his last major tournament in the Argentina jersey.
Messi has made the most appearances at the Copa America with 34 (tied with Sergio Livingstone) and has been named Best Player of the Tournament on two occasions. In the last edition of the competition, the Argentine topped all stats and was declared the highest goalscorer (four) and had the most assists in the tournament (five).
However, the path won't be easy this time as South America is brimming with world-class strikers who can disrupt the game at any given moment. Lionel Messi will face tough competition from other prodigies and can also be beaten in the goalscoring department by a few.
Top 5 players who could beat Lionel Messi's goalscoring stats in Copa America 2024
Here, we will discuss the top five forwards in Copa America 2024 who have the potential to score more goals than Lionel Messi.
Vinicius Junior
The most likely player to score more goals than Messi in Copa America is Vinicius Jr. It could be argued that the Brazilian is currently at his peak, with many considering him one of the best players in the world. Vinicius is also reportedly a Ballon d’Or contender, having won the Champions League, the La Liga, and the Supercopa de Espana with Real Madrid this season.
The Brazilian star was key to Real Madrid’s success this season, having scored 24 goals and bagged 11 assists in 39 appearances across all competitions. Alongside Rodrygo, Vinicius is another player who can thrive under pressure.
He has yet to win a significant trophy with Brazil after missing out on the 2021 Copa America and 2022 FIFA World Cup, so it could be his chance to shine in the upcoming tournament. Moreover, his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or would increase significantly if he delivers a good performance in the tournament and outscores Messi.
Lautaro Martinez
Lautaro Martinez is one of Argentina’s top forwards in the Copa America alongside Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez, and Alejandro Garnacho. He has been significant for Inter Milan this season, as he found the net 27 times and assisted seven more goals in 44 appearances across all competitions. He also won the Serie A with the club this season.
Martinez has scored 22 goals and provided eight assists for Argentina in 56 appearances until now. Although he missed a couple of crucial chances in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, he is a valuable asset for Lionel Scaloni in the Copa America because of his experience in playing in the tournament twice (2019 and 2021). In the 2021 Copa, Lautaro bagged three goals and won the tournament with the Albiceleste. He could be a good contender to outscore Lionel Messi this time.
Darwin Nunez
Darwin Nunez scored 18 goals and provided 13 assists for Liverpool in the 2023-24 season. He could score more goals than Lionel Messi as this is his chance to make a mark for Uruguay, with the team being a serious contender for winning the Copa America this time.
Nunez has scored 11 goals for Uruguay in 23 appearances until now. He grabbed eyeballs by scoring a stunning hat-trick against Mexico in an international friendly on June 5. To beat Lionel Messi in the number of goals scored, Nunez could work more on his finishing.
Julian Alvarez
Julian Alvarez was one of the breakthrough stars for Argentina in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and has won every major trophy in football. In 54 appearances for Manchester City across all competitions, Alvarez scored 19 goals and assisted 13 more despite usually being a second choice to Erling Haaland.
Alvarez scored four goals for Argentina in the 2022 FIFA World Cup and could easily compete with Lionel Messi to score more goals at the Copa America 2024. He has a clear spot in Scaloni’s starting line-up and could prove to be crucial for the Albiceleste’s success in the tournament.
Rodrygo
Rodrygo is expected to be one of Brazil’s most significant players at the Copa America 2024. The 23-year-old is a regular starter for Spanish giants Real Madrid, with 17 goals and nine assists to his name in 51 appearances for the club this season. The Brazilian won the Champions League, the La Liga, and the Supercopa de Espana with Real Madrid this season.
As a right winger, Rodrygo is guaranteed to start for Brazil in their crucial matches in the Copa America. There’s a big chance that he could score more goals than Lionel Messi in the tournament, given his current form and ability to hold on under pressure. His two crucial goals against Manchester City in the 2022 Champions League semi-final prove the same.