Lionel Messi became his country's leading scorer with a superb free-kick as Argentina beats host USA 4-0 to reach Sunday's Copa America final.
The Barcelona forward, 28, passed Gabriel Batistuta's 54-goal tally with a 25-yard strike.
Batistuta struck 54 times in 78 appearances for Argentina (the AFA does not count two goals he scored against the Slovakian youth team in 1995) in an international career that ran between 1991 and 2002 and included winning the 1991 and 1993 Copa America and scoring hat tricks in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.
Of Lionel Messi's 55 goals for Argentina, 27 have come in friendly games, 15 in World Cup qualifying encounters, eight in the Copa America and five in the World Cup.
Messi came off the bench to score a hat trick during the recent 5-0 win against Panama in the Copa America Centenario and in total has netted nine times as a substitute and on 44 occasions as a starter.
Among Messi's haul there have been four hat tricks, six braces and 31 single goals, with 44 coming from open play and 11 from the penalty spot.
"I am happy to have surpassed Batistuta's record and I want to thank my team-mates, it's theirs as well," said Messi, who turns 29 on Friday.
Argentina will play either Colombia or reigning champions Chile, who meet in Chicago on Wednesday.
The Barcelona forward, 28, passed Gabriel Batistuta's 54-goal tally with a 25-yard strike.
Batistuta struck 54 times in 78 appearances for Argentina (the AFA does not count two goals he scored against the Slovakian youth team in 1995) in an international career that ran between 1991 and 2002 and included winning the 1991 and 1993 Copa America and scoring hat tricks in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.
Of Lionel Messi's 55 goals for Argentina, 27 have come in friendly games, 15 in World Cup qualifying encounters, eight in the Copa America and five in the World Cup.
Messi came off the bench to score a hat trick during the recent 5-0 win against Panama in the Copa America Centenario and in total has netted nine times as a substitute and on 44 occasions as a starter.
Among Messi's haul there have been four hat tricks, six braces and 31 single goals, with 44 coming from open play and 11 from the penalty spot.
"I am happy to have surpassed Batistuta's record and I want to thank my team-mates, it's theirs as well," said Messi, who turns 29 on Friday.
Argentina will play either Colombia or reigning champions Chile, who meet in Chicago on Wednesday.