I Was Annoyed 'Extraterrestrial' Messi Broke My Argentina Record - Batistuta

Argentina legend Gabriel Batistuta has admitted that he was annoyed when Lionel Messi broke his international goalscoring record and believes the 'extraterrestrial' Barcelona star will achieve double his total.

Batistuta scored 54 goals in 77 appearances for Argentina between 1991 and 2002, only for his record to be exceeded by Messi at the Copa America Centenario last year.

Messi has since increased his total to 61 and the 30-year-old is set to establish a benchmark that is unlikely ever to be exceeded.

Sergio Aguero's late winner in Saturday's friendly with Russia in Moscow took him to 35 Argentina goals, ahead of Diego Maradona and level with Hernan Crespo.

But the Manchester City striker remains some way behind Messi and Batistuta, who paid tribute to the Barcelona man.

'Did it annoy me that Messi took the record? A little, yes,' he told Telefe.

'It was a title that I held. It's not just any old thing. You go around the world and people say, "he's the top scorer for the Argentina national team".

'I think I got to 54 or something like that. Lionel has more and will get almost double what I did.

'But the advantage I have is that I'm second to an extraterrestrial.' 

Having played against Russia in Moscow at the weekend, Messi will be rested for Tuesday's friendly against Nigeria in the Russian city of Krasnodar.

It is part of a policy by coach Jorge Sampaoli to manager Messi's workload and ensure he is in peak condition for the World Cup next summer.

Batistuta does have one thing on Messi, however. He won the Copa America twice and the FIFA Confederations Cup, while Messi has never won a major international honour.