Dumsha Wijesinghe JadeTimes Staff
W.G.S.D.Wijesinghe is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Sports News
Lionel Messi notched his 10th international hat trick as Argentina cruised to a commanding 6-0 win over Bolivia in a World Cup qualifying match at Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. The 37 year old Inter Miami star, who also provided two assists, equaled Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo for the most hat tricks in men's international football.
Argentina, currently leading the South American qualifying group for the 2026 World Cup by three points over second placed Colombia, bounced back from a September loss to Colombia and a draw with Venezuela last week. Speaking after the match, Messi reflected on his connection with the fans: "It’s always special to feel the support of the people. Their cheers move me. At this point in my career, I'm driven by happiness and the joy of playing with this team. As long as I feel good, I'll keep enjoying it."
Making just his second appearance for Argentina since recovering from a Copa America injury in July, Messi opened the scoring in the 19th minute, capitalizing on a defensive mistake. He then set up goals for Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez, with substitute Thiago Almada adding a fourth. Messi struck twice in quick succession late in the match, beating defenders to score his second and completing his hat trick with a low shot into the bottom corner. With 112 goals in 189 appearances for Argentina, Messi remains second only to Ronaldo, who has scored 133 international goals.
Brazil Secures Dominant 4-0 Win Over Peru
Elsewhere in South American qualifiers, Raphinha scored twice as Brazil returned to form with a 4-0 victory over Peru in Brasilia. After a tough run that saw Brazil lose four of their last five qualifiers, Dorival Junior's team secured back to back wins, including a victory over Chile earlier in the week. Brazil now sit fourth in the table, six points behind Argentina after 10 matches. Raphinha converted a penalty in each half, with late goals from Fulham's Andreas Pereira and Luiz Henrique sealing the win. "We really needed this," Raphinha told TV Globo. "Winning both games was crucial to getting back on track."
Colombia Defeats Chile 4-0
In form Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran continued his excellent season by scoring his seventh goal across all competitions, helping Colombia to a 4-0 win over Chile in Barranquilla. Goals from Davinson Sanchez, Liverpool's Luis Diaz, and Bournemouth's Luis Sinisterra completed the comfortable victory for Colombia, who remain in second place in the qualifying standings.
The top six teams in the South American group will automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
