Lionel Messi scored a hat trick and surpassed 100 career goals for Argentina with three in the first half of Tuesday’s international friendly against Curacao.
Lionel Messi scored three goals in the first half of Argentina’s international friendly against Curacao, bringing his career total to 100. In their second match since winning the World Cup in December, the World Cup winners defeated the Caribbean side 7-0. (More Football Information).
Messi, 35, opened the scoring against Curacao in the 20th minute with a right-footed shot from the edge of the box to reach the century mark. Nico Gonzalez added another three minutes later with a close-range header.
Messi then scored his 101st goal for Argentina in the 33rd minute with a cross-shot to the right of the goalkeeper, and his 102nd in the 37th minute after a simple run to the goal. He had assisted Enzo Fernandez’s shot from the edge of the box two minutes earlier.
Only two players have scored more goals for national teams in official matches than Argentina’s captain: Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (122), and Iran’s Ali Daei (109).
