Lionel Messi scored a hat trick and surpassed 100 career goals for Argentina with three in the first half of Tuesday’s (March 28) international friendly against Curacao. The World Cup winners beat the Caribbean side 7-0 in their second match since clinching the trophy in December.

The 35-year-old Messi opened the scoring against Curacao in the 20th minute with a right-foot shot from the edge of the box to reach the 100-goal milestone. Nico Gonzalez added another three minutes later with a header from close range.

LIONEL MESSI HAT TRICK FOR THE WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS ARGENTINA! __pic.twitter.com/EM5wEo9iEq

— Mundo Albiceleste _____ (@MundoAlbicelest) March 29, 2023

Messi then scored his 101st for Argentina in the 33rd minute with a crossed shot to the right of the goalkeeper and his 102nd in the 37th after an easy run to score. Two minutes earlier he had assisted Enzo Fernandez’s blast from the edge of the box. The Argentine captain trails only two players on the list of most goals scored for national teams in official matches; Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, with 122, and Iran’s Ali Daei, with 109.

The tributes continue to pour in for Lionel Messi following Argentina’s FIFA World Cup 2022 triumph. South American football’s governing body on Monday (March 27) presented the the 35-year-old Argentine star a with statue, which will be placed in the CONMEBOL museum next to those of legendary players Pele and Diego Maradona.

Messi also received replicas of the World Cup and the Finalissima trophy, which Argentina won against Italy, during the ceremony before the Copa Libertadores draw. His teammates and coach Lionel Scaloni received miniature trophies as well, including that of the 2021 Copa America lifted in Brazil.

“We are living a very special and beautiful moment, getting a lot of love,” Messi said during the tribute. “It was time for a South American team to win the World Cup again.”

Argentina beat Panama 2-0 on Thursday in Buenos Aires in its first international friendly since winning the World Cup title in Qatar last December. Scaloni’s team will face Curacao on Tuesday to celebrate with its fans in the countryside city of Santiago del Estero.

(with PTI inputs)