Lionel Messi achieved his 10th international hat-trick as Argentina overwhelmed Bolivia 6-0 in their latest World Cup qualifying match. The 37-year-old Inter Miami forward, who also provided two assists at Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, now shares the record for the most hat-tricks in men’s international football with Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Argentina currently leads the South American qualifying group for the 2026 World Cup, three points ahead of Colombia, despite a recent loss to Colombia and a draw with Venezuela.
Expressing his gratitude for the fans’ support, Messi remarked, "It’s really nice to come here, to feel the affection of the people. It moves me how they shout my name." Reflecting on his journey with the team, Messi added, "This drives me - enjoying being happy where I am. Despite my age, when I'm here, I feel like a kid because I'm comfortable with this team. As long as I feel good and can keep performing the way I want, I'll keep enjoying it." This match marked only his second appearance for Argentina since his injury at the Copa America in July.
Messi opened the scoring in the 19th minute following a defensive error by Bolivia, then went on to assist Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez, with substitute Thiago Almada adding Argentina’s fourth. Late in the game, Messi scored twice in quick succession, skillfully bypassing defenders to notch his second and then completing the hat-trick by finding the bottom corner. His tally stands at 112 goals in 189 games, ranking him just behind Ronaldo’s 133 goals in men’s international football.
Meanwhile, Raphinha scored twice as Brazil earned a 4-0 win over Peru, marking their second consecutive victory after recent struggles. Brazil, trailing Argentina by six points in the standings, benefited from Raphinha’s penalty goals in each half, followed by late strikes from Andreas Pereira and Luiz Henrique. In Barranquilla, Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran helped Colombia defeat Chile 4-0, scoring his seventh goal of the season, with Davinson Sanchez, Luis Diaz, and Luis Sinisterra also adding to the tally.
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