The 35-year-old soon added another just after the half-hour mark to make it 3-0, and then completed his hat-trick on 37 minutes with the fifth as Argentina toyed with their overmatched opponents. It was his seventh hat-trick for the national team. 

All-time record goalscorer

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“You cannot describe Messi in words,” said fellow goalscorer Nicolas Gonzalez. “He’s the best in the world and he shows it match after match, day after day. Every time he touches the ball, he makes you smile.” Messi came into the game not just as his country’s all-time record goalscorer, but with more goals than the next two top marksmen—Gabriel Batistuta on 56 and Sergio Aguero with 41—put together. 

This was Argentina’s second match since winning the World Cup in dramatic style against France in Qatar in December—triumphing 4-2 on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw—and it was always going to be about Messi reaching 100 goals. 

Also read: Lionel Messi: WC win hasn’t sunk in

Now with 102, he remains third in the all-time list, behind great rival Cristiano Ronaldo (122) of Portugal and Iran’s Ali Daei (109). Messi came up short last Thursday when he notched his 99th goal for the Albiceleste as Argentina toiled in their homecoming celebration match against Panama.

The Central Americans had held out until the 78th minute before 21-year-old MLS sensation Thiago Almada broke their resistence. Messi then scored direct from a free-kick a minute from time—his 800th goal in professional football—in front of 83,000 delirious fans in Buenos Aires. 

Curacao’s struggles

Curacao, ranked 86th by world governing body FIFA, could only hold out for 20 minutes before Messi took a pass from Giovanni Lo Ceslo, cut inside his marker onto his weaker right foot and fired a low shot into the bottom corner.

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