Batistuta: Messi' breaking the record didn't hurt me at all

Gabriel Batistuta, one of the greatest superstrikers of all time, stated that he was "not hurt" by Lionel Messi overtaking him as Argentina's top scorer at the FIFA World Cup.

The 35-year-old Messi recorded 11 World Cup goals after converting a penalty against Croatia in the semi-final. Argentina advanced to the World Cup 2022 final after securing a 3-0 win over Croatia in the last-four match.

"(Messi breaking my record) did not hurt me at all because I enjoyed it while I had it," Batistuta said in an interview with Argentine newspaper Clarin published on Friday.

"Leo deserves this. If there is one person who has to be up there, it is him. Messi is not an alien, he is a human being who plays better football than anyone else. When that person exceeds you, you cannot suffer, he just gives you pleasure."

Messi breaking the record] didn't hurt me at all because I enjoyed it while I had it," he told Argentine newspaper Clarin. "Leo deserves this. If there's one person who has to be up there, it's him. "Messi is not an alien, he is a human being who plays better football than anyone else.

Gabriel Batistuta said that he was not hurt by Lionel Messi breaking his record to become Argentina's top scorer at the World Cup as he enjoyed it while he had it.

He pointed out: "Messi plays as if he is 20 years old. This is because he is hungry to win. He is here in Qatar to win the World Cup. This is what football needs, this is what Leo spreads to the whole team."

He concluded: "All conditions are favorable for the Argentine national team to win the title."