WATCH: Lionel Messi goes level with Cristiano Ronaldo with 10th hat-trick | Football News

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Lionel Messi scored a record tenth international hat trick as Argentina beat Bolivia during a World Cup Qualifier.

New Delhi: Lionel Messi had an amazing performance with a hat-trick in front of his home crowd as Argentina dominated their 6-0 win over Bolivia in a World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday night. Messi also made two assists during the game, apart from scoring his first hat trick for Argentina in 2024.

Playing his first game in Argentina in almost a year, the World Cup champion dominated the pitch of Estadio Mas Monumental in Buenos Aires, with good contributions from Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez and Thiago Almada, who were the other three players to get on the scoresheet. Messi’s performance is good news for Inter Miami as they head into MLS Cup playoffs later in the month.

Lionel Messi now has the MOST hat-tricks in international football’s history. (10)

GOAT. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/WdKJlXCdSi

— L/M Football (@lmfootbalI) October 16, 2024

Messi opened Argentina’s score in the 19th minute, grabbing a loose ball into the penalty area as Martinez created pressure on the Bolivian backline. By the end of the first half, he had already made two assists. His next two goals came within two minutes of each other during the game’s closing moments. Scoring the fifth goal of the game, Messi dodged the opponents and slid past Bolivia’s shot-stopper.

Messi’s record-equalling hat-trick

Messi’s third goal came a couple of minutes later, as he finished powerfully from the left, reaching a landmark 10th hat-trick in his international career. It is the first hat-trick since Argentina’s 7-0 win over Curacao in March 2023. The 37-year-old had made little impact during Argentina’s Copa America 2024 triumph, sitting out for most part of the tournament due to injury.

LIONEL MESSI HAT TRICK! GOAL FOR ARGENTINA! 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/Vk6j0Xlq8s

— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) October 16, 2024

Messi’s first international hat-trick came in 2012 against Switzerland in a friendly match, and he repeated the feat against Brazil in an iconic 4-3 win for Argentina. Messi’s 2016 hat trick against Panama in Copa America was his first on the big stage. His clinical performance against Ecuador during the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers saw him score yet another hat-trick in a pressure situation.

Messi’s recent exploits against Bolivia make him the second male footballer to score ten hat-tricks, and he now has the joint highest number of international hat-tricks along with his decade-long rival Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo’s first hat-trick in international colours came in the 2013 World Cup Qualifiers against Ireland. The 39-year-old became the first male to cross ten hat-tricks during Portgual’s 5-0 win over Luxembourg in 2021.

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