Football - World Cup - South American Qualifiers
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Argentina vs. Bolivia
Lionel Messi netted his 10th international hat-trick and contributed to two additional goals as Argentina dominated Bolivia 6-0 in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, delighting a passionate home crowd at the Monumental Stadium on Tuesday.
In just his second appearance since recovering from a July injury sustained during the Copa America, Messi capitalized on a mistake by defender Marcelo Suarez to score the opener in the 19th minute.
Bolivia's goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra made several impressive saves to keep the scoreline manageable, but he was beaten in the 43rd minute when Lautaro Martinez finished from Messi's quick cross.
Just before halftime, Argentina extended their lead to 3-0, with Messi assisting Julian Alvarez's goal.
The second half saw Argentina maintain control, and while Nicolas Otamendi thought he had scored, his effort was disallowed for offside. Substitute Thiago Almada eventually made it 4-0 in the 70th minute, finding the net from Nahuel Molina's pass, turning the stadium into a festive atmosphere.
In the closing moments, Messi added to the celebration, skillfully evading two defenders before unleashing a powerful shot past Viscarra for his second goal. Just two minutes later, he completed his hat-trick, matching Cristiano Ronaldo for the most international hat-tricks, with a left-footed strike that brought his tally to 112 goals for Argentina.
"It’s truly wonderful to be here and feel the love from the fans; it moves me to hear them shout my name," Messi remarked. "This motivates me. I enjoy being happy where I am. Despite my age, I feel like a kid when I'm with this team. As long as I feel good and can perform the way I want, I’ll keep enjoying it."
With this victory, Argentina sits atop the standings with 22 points, bouncing back after a loss to Colombia and a draw with Venezuela. The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
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