Lionel Messi scored his 10th international hat trick, bringing his total career goals to 112, and he also provided two assists to help Argentina win 6-0 against Bolivia in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.
After missing two qualifiers in October due to a right ankle injury from the Copa America, Messi played the entire match in front of enthusiastic fans at Estadio Monumental, who chanted his name when he scored the first goal in the 19th minute.
Messi scored again in the 84th and 86th minutes. At 37 years old, he is second on the all-time scoring list, behind Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 133 goals.
Rival Brazil, facing pressure on coach Dorival Júnior, found relief with a strong 4-0 victory at home against Peru.
Argentina currently leads South American qualifying with 22 points after 10 matches, three points ahead of second-place Colombia, which won 4-0 against Chile. Uruguay, which had a goalless draw with Ecuador, and Brazil both have 16 points, with Uruguay in third place due to goal difference.
Ecuador and Paraguay follow closely with 13 points each, with Ecuador fifth based on goal difference.
The top six teams automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The seventh-place team, currently Bolivia, will have to play in an international playoff to secure a spot in the tournament.
Two more rounds of qualifiers will take place in November.
Messi showed strong form on his return. His first goal came from a mistake by a Bolivian defender, who missed a pass, allowing Messi to run freely and score without being challenged by goalkeeper Billy Viscarra.
Messi assisted Lautaro Martínez’s goal in the 43rd minute and provided another key pass for Julián Álvarez’s goal just before halftime.
He also assisted Thiago Almada’s goal in the 69th minute with a low cross from Nahuel Molina, before finishing perfectly from the edge of the area.
“We enjoyed this, we are happy to be here playing in Argentina,” Messi said, again avoiding questions about whether he would participate in the next World Cup in 2026. “This could be one of the last (matches in front of the Argentinian crowd).”
Bolivia, aiming to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 30 years, still remains in the race with 12 points.
