Argentinian soccer star Lionel Messi achieved another milestone of his career during a dominant 6-0 victory against Bolivia.
According to CNN, the eighth-time Ballon d'Or award winner netted the ball thrice to complete his 10th international hat trick during the South American qualifiers for the Fifa 2026 World Cup and leveled the Portuguese footballer's record of most international hat tricks for the national team.
Messi said, "It's a joy to be present and appreciate this moment. Being surrounded by younger teammates, given my age, makes me feel like a kid again.”
He further added, "I find myself doing silly things because I feel so comfortable. As long as I maintain that feeling and can continue contributing to the team, I plan to be here enjoying (the national team).”
Moreover, the 37-year-old also made a bombshell statement about his retirement, saying that he knew these were his last matches but “as long as I feel good and can keep performing the way I want, I’ll keep enjoying it.”
It is worth noting that Messi made a comeback to the national team after missing two qualifying round due to an ankle injury during the Copa America finals in July 2024.
Argentina will now play its next 2026 World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on November 14, 2024.
