In a rout against Curacao, Messi scores Argentina’s 100th goal
Lionel Messi, the captain of Argentina, scored his 100th goal for his country on Tuesday as the defending world champions thrashed Curacao 7-0 in a friendly.
Seven-time Awarded the Ballon d’Or Around the 20-minute mark in Santiago del Estero’s match against the Caribbean island minnows, Messi scored first.
It happened 17 years after he made his Argentina debut against Croatia in a 3-2 loss in March 2006.
After 30 minutes, the 35-year-old quickly added a third to make it 3-0, and on 37 minutes, he scored his fifth goal to give Argentina a hat-trick as they played around with their outclassed opponents.
He had scored a hat-trick seven times for the national squad.
Messi is indescribable, according to fellow goal scorer Nicolas Gonzalez.
He proves time and time again that he is the best in the world. He brings a grin to your face each time he touches the ball.
Not only did Messi enter the game as his nation’s all-time leading scorer, but he also had more goals than the next two scorers combined, Gabriel Batistuta and Sergio Aguero, who each had 56 and 41 goals, respectively.
Immediately to the museum When Messi scored the Albiceleste’s 99th goal against Panama on Thursday of last week, Argentina was struggling in their homecoming celebration game.
The 78th minute saw the Central Americans hold on until 21-year-old MLS phenom Thiago Almada broke their resistance.
In front of 83,000 ecstatic supporters in Buenos Aires, Messi then scored directly from a free-kick one minute from time to register his 800th goal in professional football
Gonzalez turned provider as Messi scored the first of three goals in four minutes, this time with his left foot.
He then laid off the ball for Enzo Fernandez to make it four with a shot from distance before Lo Celso released Messi behind the defense to notch his treble.
Argentina took their foot off the gas in the second half, with only a generously-awarded Angel Di Maria penalty and close-range finish from Gonzalo Montiel adding to the score.
But the 42,000 fans present remained in party mood throughout, waiting for their heroes to lift the World Cup trophy in front of them.
AFP
