Messi ties Batistuta as Argentina's all-time leading scorer

Leo Messi's 60th minute goal on Saturday night in Boston didn't just put the game away. 

It was Messi's 54th career goal for Argentina, bringing him level with Gabriel Batistuta on all-time list for La Albiceleste, adding to his already stratospheric aura.

Messi is already the top scorer in FC Barcelona history, with 482 goals — including both official games and friendlies.

Now in the semifinals of the Copa America, the man who has won it all for Barça — 28 titles, the same number as Andrés Iniesta — is still looking for his first title with Argentina. Two more wins and he'll have it.

Brazil and Paraguay: Messi's favorite victims 

Of Messi's 54 goals for Argentina, 50 were scored with his left leg, two with his right leg, and two were headers. 46 of the 54 goals (85%) were from inside the penalty area, 11 came from the penalty spot, and four were the result of direct free kicks.

Messi has scored 27 goals with La Albiceleste in friendlies, 15 in World Cup qualifying, five in the World Cup itself, and seven in the Copa América games. 

Brazil and Paraguay have given up four goals each from the Argentine star, while Bolivia, Guatemala, Switzerland, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Mexico have seen Messi put the ball in their nets three times each.

Messi has also scored against Argentina's top opponents Chile (2), Spain (2), Colombia (2), Croatia (2), Germany (1), Portugal (1), and France (1).

Four hat tricks and six doubles

The striker's Argentina teammates, Carlos Tévez and Gonzalo Higuaín, are one-two in assists on goals scored by Messi for Argentina. They've each set Messi up seven times, while Kun Agüero has assisted Messi six times.  

Messi has bagged four hat tricks for Argentina while also adding six two-goal games.

Incredibly, the Argentine star has scored for Argentina in every single season since 2004/05. 

His best national team years were in the 2011/12 and 2012/13 seasons, during each of which he scored nine times.

This season is shaping up to be one of his best. He has seven goals for Argentina, and they still have at least one game to play — maybe two, if they make the final — at the 2016 Copa América. 

There's no doubt that Messi will surpass Batistuta and have the Argentina record all to himself. The only question is when.