Lionel Messi equals Cristiano Ronaldo with 10th international hat-trick: Stats
Lionel Messi, the 37-year-old Inter Miami forward, once again proved why he is the GOAT by scoring his 10th international hat-trick in a crucial contest at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier. Messi achieved the remarkable feat during Argentina's 6-0 drubbing of Bolivia at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. Apart from scoring three goals, Messi also provided two assists, further proving why he is Argentina's key player.
Messi matches Ronaldo's record in international football
With his latest hat-trick, Messi has now equaled Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo for the most hat-tricks (10) in men's international football. Ronaldo owns a record 133 goals and 36 assists from 216 international appearances. Meanwhile, Messi has raced to 112 goals and 57 assists for Argentina in 189 appearances. Before this, Messi's last hat-trick was against Curaçao in March 2023 during a friendly contest.
Breaking down Messi's goals
In 56 friendly matches, Messi has scored 51 goals. He owns 14 goals in 39 Copa America matches. In 67 FIFA World Cup qualification games, the stalwart now has 34 goals under his belt. He also has 13 FIFA World Cup goals.
Messi's performance propels Argentina to top of group
Despite losing to Colombia in September and drawing with Venezuela last week, Argentina now top the South American qualifying group for the 2026 World Cup by three points. After 10 games, Argentina own 7 wins, one draw and two losses. They have 22 points. This is largely thanks to Messi's phenomenal performance against Bolivia. He scored the opening goal at 19 minutes into the game, assisted Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez, and scored two more goals late in the match.
