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Lionel Messi
Leo Messi en el duelo entre Argentina y Bolivia en las eliminatorias para la Copa del Mundo 2026

MESSI SCORE A HAT-TRICK AND GAVE TWO ASSISTS

The 'GOAT' did it again! Leo Messi's anthological performance with Argentina against Bolivia

Published:16/10/2024 - 14:18h

Updated:17/10/2024 - 02:24h

Leo Messi once again showed that he is one of the best today. What did he do? He scored an historic hat-trick and added two assists, all of this in the game against Bolivia

Calendar of FC Barcelona

Currently, any adjective used to describe what Lionel Messi represents for international football will definitely fall short, especially as the Argentine star, at 37 years old, continues to demonstrate his mastery on the field and be decisive both for his club, Inter Miami, in the United States, as well as for the Argentine national team. In the recently concluded Matchday 10 of the World Cup qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, the 'Albiceleste' faced Bolivia and defeated them convincingly with an impressive 6-0 victory.

What did Lionel Messi do in this match? After a rather discreet performance against Venezuela (1-1), the former FC Barcelona player shone against the Bolivian team by scoring a hat-trick and providing two assists, having a direct influence on almost all the goals in the match that took place in Buenos Aires.

Lionel Messi's hat-trick, in detail

At this point, the first appearance of the former '10' of FC Barcelona occurred in the 18th minute to make the score 1-0 in favor of his team. This time, Lionel Messi, at 18', capitalized greatly on a maneuver in which Lautaro Martinez had previously applied pressure on the Bolivian defense, leading to a situation where the ball was bouncing near the edge of the area with no Bolivian opposition nearby. This allowed the forward a clear field to face Guillermo Viscarra one-on-one, whom he defeated with a characteristic powerful left-footed shot, leaving him with no chance.

As for his second goal, Lionel Messi converted the 5-0 in this match. This time, the Rosario native received the ball in the final third of the field and, as in his best moments, started a fast run towards the goal. Despite encountering three defenders trying to stop him, the former PSG player managed to find the necessary space near the edge of the area to unleash a powerful shot with his right foot. The shot left Viscarra with no chance, and he could not prevent the goal.

To close, regarding the goals, Leo Messi once again demonstrated those finishes that were once labeled as 'Messi-esque'. The sixth goal came after the Rosario native received the ball on the edge of the area, facing up to five opposing players. Without hesitation, the '10' created the necessary space to shoot with his left foot right on the edge of the area. His shot found its way into an unreachable space for Viscarra's dive, hitting the lower right post.

Messi also assisted Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez

Additionally, as mentioned earlier, Leo Messi also provided a couple of key assists. The first of these goal assists occurred in the 42nd minute when the forward seized the opportunity to receive an excellent through pass. After controlling the ball, he found the perfect moment to deliver a nearly 'deadly' pass to the left side of the field, where Lautaro Martínez was positioned, completely unmarked. 'El Toro' didn't hesitate to control the ball and send it into the back of the net.

His second assist led to Argentina's 3-0 lead. This time, the beneficiary of Leo Messi's vision was Julián Álvarez, who received an excellent lofted pass inside the box from 'La Pulga'. 'La Araña', with a move of a true star, controlled the ball with his left foot and then, with great technique, unleashed a stellar shot with his right foot.

The '10' continues to build his legacy with the Argentine national team

Once again, Leo Messi showing why he remains one of the best forwards in the world today. With this goal, he marks a triumphant return with the Argentine national team. He is still regarded as the top scorer in the history of the 'Albiceleste', a position he currently holds with a total of 112 goals. This also keeps him in close pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo, who stands as the top scorer in the history of national teams, boasting a total of 133 goals.

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