After overtaking Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi is still not the top goal scorer for Argentina

For many football fans Argentinean football brings back two names to mind Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.

On Friday night in a friendly against Guatemala, Messi produced a brilliant performance to overtake the man who delivered the 'Hand of God' goal in 1986. The 25-year-old play maker scored a hat-trick in his home side's 4-0 demolition of Guatemala.

With a long career ahead of him, it is more likely than not that Messi will finish as Argentina's top scorer. Currently the Barcelona player is equal on 35 goal for Argentina with Hernan Crespo. But he is still 21 goals adrift from legend Gabriel Batistuta.

In international football, Batistuta is Argentina's all-time leading goal scorer having scored 56 goals in 78 appearances for his national team. The now 44-year-old has played three World Cups for Argentina and for fans of the beautiful game in the South American country he is rated as a greater player than Maradona.

Whether Messi will be a bigger player than Maradona is a debate that is out in the open for everyone to watch, comment and decide on. Maradona has won his home side a World Cup while Messi still has to emulate him in this regard.

For football-crazy Argentina and many fans, more than goals, World Cup wins and trophies are a judge of success. Will Messi win Argentina a World Cup and will he become the countries leading gaol scorer only time will tell.

The Ballon d'Or winner is surely headed in the right direction.