Messi’s latest hat-trick earns him a place among football’s international centurions

Buenos Aires, March 29 / WAM / The Argentine soccer star, Lionel Messi, continued his celebrations with his country after winning the 2022 World Cup title last December, as he scored 3 goals (a hat-trick) that led the team to a great 7-0 victory over the Curaçao national team in the friendly match. Which was held between them in the Argentine city of Santiago del Estero.
The match was held this morning, UAE time, and witnessed the Argentine national team’s complete superiority in its second friendly match in 2023, which is also the second after its victory in a penalty shootout over the French national team in the 2022 World Cup final.
Messi scored his three goals in the 20th, 33rd and 37th minutes, and the other four goals were scored by Nicholas Gonzalez, Enzo Fernandez, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Montiel in the 23rd, 35th and 78th minutes from a penalty kick and 87.
Messi raised his tally of goals in international matches with his country to 102 goals, to enter the club of 100 international goals, which includes only two other players, veteran Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo (122 goals) and former Iranian striker Ali Daei (109 goals).
With this, Messi added a new achievement to his record of achievements and distinguished records during his professional career at the level of clubs and the national team.
Messi raised his score of goals in his professional career to 803 goals, in second place in the list of the most goals-scoring players in their professional career at the level of clubs and national teams, and only the Portuguese Ronaldo (832 goals) surpasses him.