Argentina captain Lionel Messi made a spectacular return to his home country with a five-star performance in their 6-0 victory over Bolivia on Tuesday night at Estadio Monumental. Messi played a central role in the dominant win, contributing directly to five of the six goals, including scoring a hat-trick. Despite his remarkable performance, Messi downplayed the significance of his individual achievements in his post-match comments.
A Humble Messi Responds to His Stats
After netting three goals, Lautaro Martínez, Julián Álvarez, and Thiago Almada also added their names to the scoresheet. With this win, Argentina remains at the top of the CONMEBOL qualification table with 22 points, three ahead of Colombia in second place.
The hat-trick marked a significant milestone for Messi, who now has 112 goals for Argentina, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo (133 goals) in the all-time international goal-scoring rankings. However, when asked about his celebratory gesture after scoring his third goal—his 58th career hat-trick, and the 10th for his national team—Messi gave a modest reply:
“Honestly, I didn’t know. I’m not one to keep track of stats, but it’s nice to score another goal.”
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Messi’s Reflection on His Future
As Messi approaches the later stages of his career at 37, speculation about his future with the national team has intensified. After the match, Messi shared his thoughts on his connection with his fans, acknowledging the emotional bond he shares with the Argentine supporters:
“It’s really nice to come here, to feel the affection of the people. It moves me how they shout my name.”
When asked about his participation in the 2026 World Cup, Messi remained open yet reflective, hinting that he may be nearing the end of his international journey:
“I haven’t set any date or deadline regarding my future; I just want to enjoy all of this. It moves me more than ever to be here and feel the love of the people because I know these could be my last matches.”
He added, “As long as I feel good and can keep performing the way I want, we’ll keep enjoying it.”
