During an international friendly against Curacao on Tuesday, Lionel Messi scored three goals in the first half, achieving a hat trick and surpassing 100 career goals for Argentina. The team went on to beat Curacao 7-0, marking their second match since winning the World Cup in December. Messi’s first goal, a right-foot shot from the edge of the box, reached the 100-goal milestone in the 20th minute.
He then scored his 101st and 102nd goals for Argentina with a crossed shot and an easy run to score, respectively, in the 33rd and 37th minutes. Additionally, he assisted Enzo Fernandez’s blast from the edge of the box. Messi is now third on the list of most goals scored for national teams in official matches, behind Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal with 122 goals and Ali Daei of Iran with 109. Lionel Scaloni’s team had previously beaten Panama 2-0 in Buenos Aires in their first international friendly since winning the World Cup in Qatar in December. They celebrated their victory against Curacao with their fans in the city of Santiago del Estero. Recently, Messi was honored with a statue by South American football’s governing body, which will be placed in the CONMEBOL museum alongside those of legendary players Pele and Diego Maradona. Messi also received replicas of the World Cup and the Finalissima trophy, which Argentina won against Italy, during the ceremony.
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