Lionel Messi scored his 10th hat-trick for Argentina and increased his career tally for his country to 112 goals in a 6-0 World Cup qualifying win over Bolivia on Tuesday.
Messi played the entire match in front of noisy fans at Estadio Monumental who chanted his name after opening the scoring in the 19th minute. Messi added goals in the 84th and 86th minutes. Only Cristiano Ronaldo, with 133has scored more international goals in men’s football than Messi.
However, the 37-year-old acknowledged his international career is nearing an end as he refused to say whether he would play at the 2026 World Cup.
“I have not set a date or deadline for my future,” Messi said. “I’m just enjoying it all. I am more emotional than ever and take all the love from the people because I know these could be my last matches.
Messi said his younger teammates help him enjoy football as he approaches his 40s. “It is a pleasure to be present and appreciate this moment. Being surrounded by younger teammates, considering my age, I feel like a child again,” Messi said. “I find myself doing crazy things because I feel so comfortable. As long as I maintain that feeling and can continue to contribute to the team, I plan to enjoy it here [the national team].”
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said he hopes Messi’s international career continues as long as possible.
“It continues to amaze,” Scaloni told reporters. “At some point I’m going to sit down with[assistantcoach’PabloAimarandtellhimthatthisiswonderfulTobeabletobeonthebenchandseethethingshedoes?TheteamiswithhimandwhatIaskhimtodoistopplayaslongashecan”[assistent-coach’PabloAimarenvertelhemdatditgeweldigisOmopdebanktekunnenzittenentezienwathijdoet?Hetteamsteunthemenwatikhemvraagiszolangmogelijktespelen”[assistantcoach’PabloAimarandtellhimthatthisiswonderfulTobeabletobeonthebenchandseethethingshedoes?TheteamiswithhimandwhatIaskhimtodoistoplayaslongashecan”
Elsewhere on Tuesday, Brazil and their downtrodden coach Dorival Júnior got some relief with a convincing performance in a 4-0 home win against Peru.
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Argentina leads the South American qualifying with 22 points after 10 games, three points ahead of second-place Colombia, which defeated Chile 4-0. Uruguay, who previously drew goalless with Ecuador, and Brazil have 16 points each, with the Uruguayans in third place on goal difference. Ecuador and Paraguay follow with 13 points each, while Ecuadorians are fifth on goal difference.
The top six teams automatically secure a spot at the 2026 World Cup. The seventh-place team, currently Bolivia, will play in an international play-off for a spot in the expanded 48-team tournament.