Argentina vs. Venezuela: Lionel Messi's record against La Vinotinto

Lionel Messi's record vs. Venezuela

Played: 13

Won: 9

Drawn: 2

Lost: 2

Goals: 7

Assists: 6

Like Argentina in general, Messi has often enjoyed his meetings with Venezuela, even from his first meeting against them all the way back in 2007.

In a World Cup qualifier, Argentina won 2-0, with Messi helping them on their way with a first-half goal, which at the time was just his seventh for the national side.

The reverse fixture ended 4-0 in Argentina's favour 18 months later, with Messi on the scoresheet again in an important victory as the Albiceleste only narrowly qualified for the finals in South Africa.

While Messi's record is largely excellent against Venezuela, he was part of the Argentina XI that suffered the country's first-ever defeat against La Vinotinto, losing away from home in 2011, but normal service resumed in the reverse fixture, as Messi converted a penalty in a 3-0 win, as they once again sealed their place at another World Cup.

One of the more high-profile encounters against Venezuela came at the 2016 Copa America, and as is so often the case on the big stage, Messi shone, setting up two goals and scoring one of his own in a 4-1 quarter-final win.

That goal saw Messi equal Gabriel Batistuta's international goalscoring record of 54.

Messi briefly struggled to make much of an impact against Venezuela, including in another surprise defeat in 2019, but he netted his fifth career goal against them in their meeting back in 2022, where Argentina won 3-0 on home soil.

The 38-year-old enjoyed more success in his most recent encounter against Venezuela in September 2025, netting a brace to fire his country to a 3-0 win.