Lionel Messi set a new world record for the most international assists as Argentina defeated Puerto Rico 6-0 in a friendly match on Tuesday at Inter Miami's Chase Stadium. The Argentine captain provided two assists to take his career tally to 60, surpassing Neymar's previous record of 59. The victory also featured braces from Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister and Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez.
Mac Allister opened the scoring with a header in the 14th minute. Messi then set up the second goal with a through ball for Gonzalo Montiel, who finished in the 23rd minute. Mac Allister added his second before halftime to give Argentina a comfortable 3-0 lead. An own goal from Puerto Rico's Steven Echevarria extended the lead in the 64th minute before substitute Martinez scored two late goals, the second of which was set up by a Messi back-heel to break the record.
The assist was the final goal by the reigning world champions. The friendly, which was moved from Chicago due to low ticket sales, allowed coach Lionel Scaloni to give several newcomers their first experience with the national team. Four players made their debut for Argentina during the match.
After the game, coach Lionel Scaloni spoke about integrating new players and the team's performance. "We know what it means for newcomers to join the national team for the first time. We all feel nervous when we make our debut wearing this shirt. That’s why we try to make sure they enjoy themselves during the first few days," Scaloni said. He also thanked the fans who attended, emphasizing the players' responsibility to "give their all for the jersey."
