Luis Suarez has equalled Lionel Messi’s goalscoring record in South American World Cup qualification.
The Atletico Madrid striker netted the only goal of the game for Uruguay as they secured a vital victory away to Paraguay.
The narrow victory lifted Uruguay back into a World Cup qualification playoff spot and ensured their hopes of playing in Qatar later this year remain alive.
Suarez’s goal also had special resonance for him on a personal level as it ensured he drew level with his close friend and former teammate Messi in scoring in the section.
Both star forwards have netted 27 goals in World Cup qualifying, although Suarez has played one more game than the Paris Saint-Germain star – 59 games compared to Messi’s 58.
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Suarez has scored seven La Liga goals this season – a respectable return – but is struggling to find his best output with a recent report claiming he snubbed the chance to join Italian giants Juventus.
The 34-year-old striker is in a prolonged rut of form, which had seen him net just once in 15 appearances for club and country – a run stretching back to early November – prior to his goal for Uruguay on Friday.
There have been concerns over the striker’s form and growing calls for him to lose his place in the Atleti starting line-up with competition from the likes of Antoine Griezmann and Joao Felix for a starting spot.
Yet his goal on Friday could spark a revival in form and matched the record of Messi in CONMEBOL qualification.
Messi is sitting out this international break as he tries to recover full fitness for Paris Saint-Germain after suffering from Covid, meaning that Suarez can surpass his record as Uruguay host Venezuela on Monday.
Guatemalan forward Carlos Ruiz has scored more goals than any other player in all World Cup qualifying sections – his 39 goals surpass Cristiano Ronaldo ’s tally of 36.
Iran duo Ali Daei and Karim Bagheri – with 34 and 28 goals respectively – are also in the top five, with Poland marksman Robert Lewandowski currently on 29.
It comes just a month after Messi lost two records; he is no longer in the top three of Barcelona ’s youngest ever scorers and the number of assists in a calendar year.
Messi collected his seventh Ballon d'Or title as he scooped the 2021 accolade last month, but his early form in the French capital has fallen far short of his sky-high expectations.
The Argentine superstar has netted just once in Ligue 1 this season, although he did net five times for Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League group stage campaign.
Gavi’s first goal for Barcelona last month ensured he entered the top three youngest scorers in the club’s history, surpassing Messi as the Spaniard’s came when he was 196 days younger - 17 years and 135 days.
The youngest scorer in Barca’s history remains his former teammate Ansu Fati, who netted his first goal aged 16 years and 304 days, while Bojan Krkic – who went on to play for Roma and Stoke City – ranks second, aged 17 years and 53 days.
Dusan Tadic broke the world record for total assists in a calendar year after creating his 37th goal of 2021 during Ajax's defeat to AZ Alkmaar last month – eclipsing Messi’s previous world record best of 36 from 2011.
