Lionel Messi scored his 10th hat-trick for Argentina to raise his career total for his country to 112 goals in a 6-0 World Cup qualifying win over Bolivia on Tuesday.
Messi played the entire match before raucous fans at Estadio Monumental who chanted his name after he opened the scoring in the 19th minute. Messi added goals in the 84th and 86th minutes. Only Cristiano Ronaldo, with 133, has scored more international goals in men’s football than Messi.
However, the 37-year-old acknowledged his international career is approaching its end when he refused to say whether he would play at the 2026 World Cup.
“I didn’t set any date or deadline about my future,” Messi said. “I’m just enjoying all this. I am more emotional than ever and taking all the love from the people because I know these can be my last games.”
Messi said his younger teammates help him enjoy football as he approaches 40. “It’s a joy to be present and appreciate this moment. Being surrounded by younger teammates, given my age, makes me feel like a kid again,” Messi said. “I find myself doing silly things because I feel so comfortable. As long as I maintain that feeling and can continue contributing to the team, I plan to be here enjoying [the national team].”
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said he hopes Messi’s international career continues as long as possible.
“It never ceases to amaze,” Scaloni told reporters. “At one point I sit down with [assistant coach’ Pablo Aimar and tell him that this is wonderful. To be able to be on the bench and see the things he does? The team is with him and what I ask him to do is to play as long as he can.”
Elsewhere on Tuesday, Brazil and their under-pressure coach Dorival Júnior got some relief with a convincing performance in a 4-0 home win against Peru.
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Argentina lead South American qualifying with 22 points after 10 matches, three points clear of second-place Colombia, who beat Chile 4-0. Uruguay, who earlier had a goalless draw with Ecuador, and Brazil have 16 points each, with the Uruguayans in third place on goal difference. Ecuador and Paraguay follow with 13 points apiece, with Ecuadorians fifth on goal difference.
The top six teams secure automatic berths in the 2026 World Cup. The seventh-place team, currently Bolivia, will play in an international playoff for a spot in the expanded 48-team tournament.