Lionel Messi scores hat-trick to pass 100 Argentina goals in 7-0 rout of Curaçao

Lionel Messi passed the 100-goals mark for Argentina while scoring a hat-trick in their 7-0 friendly win over Curaçao. The Paris Saint-Germain forward reached a century of international goals on his 174th cap when he opened the scoring after 20 minutes, Giovani Lo Celso setting him up in the centre of the box to slot home a low shot.

“We will never stop celebrating and I think it’s fair and deserved,” Argentina’s coach, Lionel Scaloni, said. “I hope there will be more [Messi goals]. He deserves all the praise and it’s good that these goals had been on Argentine soil, that has a special value too.”

Nicolás González doubled Argentina’s lead shortly after with a header before Messi got his second with a trademark curling shot in at the far post in the 33rd minute. Messi set up Enzo Fernández to fire home from the edge of the box two minutes later and the 35-year-old completed his hat-trick in the 37th minute with a simple finish after another Lo Celso pass.

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The substitute Ángel Di María scored a penalty in the 78th minute and Gonzalo Montiel, who put away Argentina’s last penalty to beat France in the World Cup final, sealed the rout three minutes from time.