Lionel Messi reached a milestone only two other footballers in history have achieved following his first-half hat-trick in Argentina's 7-0 victory in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
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The 35-year-old struck three times as the 2022 FIFA World Cup champions put seven past Curacao, an island country in the Caribbean Sea, in Argentina.
His first goal of the match brought up his 100th strike for his country to see him become only the third player in history to score a century of goals on the international stage after Cristiano Ronaldo (122) and Ali Daei (109).
GOAL NUMBER 100 WITH ARGENTINA FOR LIONEL MESSI! ???? pic.twitter.com/Avd8l4ARCc
— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) March 28, 2023
Messi's 102 strikes for the Albiceleste have come in 174 appearances, with his career in the senior team having begun in August 2005.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner will now return to France to report back for duty at Paris Saint-Germain, where his future still appears unclear.
His contract in Paris expires at the end of the season, amid rumours he could be tempted by a move back to Barcelona.
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