KEY FACTS ABOUT ARGENTINA'S LIONEL MESSI

* The 35-year-old will play his 1000th professional game against Australia at the World Cup.

* Messi is among five players to feature at five World Cups, along with Mexico's Antonio Carbajal and Rafael Marquez, Germany's Lothar Matthaus and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.

* He is one of five players to score in four editions of the World Cup, along with Brazil's Pele, Germany's Uwe Seeler and Miroslav Klose, and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.

* Messi has played 22 World Cup games, only Germany's Lothar Matthaus (25) and Miroslav Klose (24) and Italy's Paolo Maldini (23) have played more.

* He has scored eight World Cup goals.

* Messi has been involved in 14 World Cup goals (eight goals, six assists). Only Germany's Thomas Muller (10 goals, six assists) has been involved in more.

* He has created 58 scoring chances at World Cups, the most in history. Germany's Mesut Ozil next-best with 48.

* Messi is looking to score in the knock-out stages of the World Cup for the first time - all previous goals have come in group games.

* He has had 23 scoring efforts without finding the net beyond the first round, though he did assist in the last 16 in each of the 2010, 2014 and 2018 editions.