What Bets on Lionel Messi During the Copa America 2024?
by Tyler Doty
Lionel Messi returns to the Argentina team in preparation for the 2024 Copa América. La Albiceleste are looking to defend the crown they won in 2021 and add another piece of hardware to their collection after winning the World Cup in Qatar less than 18 months ago.
With 14 goals in 15 appearances for Inter Miami this season, Messi is in fine form heading into the 48th edition of the Copa América. Argentina are looking to win back-to-back Copa Américas for the first time since their consecutive wins in 1991 and 1993. To bet on Messi during this tournament or for more Copa América picks, follow the link!
Top Goalscorer
Lionel Messi is the consensus betting favorite to finish as the top goal scorer at the 2024 Copa América. Messi has the second-most Copa América goals among active players, and is priced at +330 to top the scoring charts with DraftKings.
While he has twice been named Best Player at the Copa América, he has only finished with the most goals on one occasion. That was three years ago, when he was tied with Liverpool’s Luis Diaz on four goals apiece as Argentina won the competition.
Argentina are again expected to go on a deep run in the competition, which should give Messi the maximum number of matches to score goals. He’s been scoring at will for Inter Miami, but the Copa América will be a much bigger test.
While they are favored in every group match, none of Canada, Chile, or Peru will be a walkover. Canada’s porous defense could be Messi’s best chance to build a lead in the goal-scoring charts before the intensity ramps up for the knockout rounds.
Messi scored in his last two MLS matches and has been in sensational form all season. If he stays fit throughout this summer’s tournament, he’s got a great chance of finishing as the top goalscorer, but there is a risk he will take on more of a playmaking role with Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez expected to play big roles.
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Team Top Goalscorer
Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi is the odds-on favorite to finish as Argentina’s top goalscorer at DraftKings. His price of -125 is the shortest of any player in this market, with no other player odds-on for their respective teams. Julian Alvarez is Argentina’s second favorite at +250. Lautaro Martinez is +500 with FanDuel and DraftKings.
Messi has been Argentina’s top goalscorer at the last two major tournaments, but he was outscored by a teammate at both the 2019 Copa América and 2018 World Cup. The 2016 edition is the only other time he has top scored for Argentina at the Copa América.
As a result, it’s hard to justify backing Messi at this price.
Both Alvarez and Martinez provide superior value, especially after Alvarez found the net four times at the 2022 World Cup. The Manchester City man hasn’t scored for his country since the World Cup, but he notched 19 goals for his club in 2023-24.
Martinez has just wrapped up another excellent season with Inter, including his first capocannoniere award.
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Winner/Top Goalscorer
If you like Argentina’s chances of defending their title, and think Messi is set for another productive tournament, then pairing La Albiceleste to win the tournament and Messi to finish as top goalscorer has value.
Argentina to lift the trophy and Messi to top score is +750 at DraftKings and FanDuel. Having been handed a favorable group, Argentina will avoid Brazil until the final, and get to face one of Mexico, Ecuador, Jamaica, or Venezuela in the last eight.
Their route to the final is straightforward. History is in their favor, too, having appeared in five of the last seven Copa América finals.
If they are to go all the way, Messi is going to have a huge role to play. It doesn’t take much imagination to see a repeat of three years ago with Argentina lifting the trophy and Messi top scoring.
