Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Argentina triumphed over Curacao 7-0 in a friendly game. The game saw Messi achieve an incredible milestone, surpassing the 100-goal mark for World Cup champions Argentina.
His first goal came 20 minutes into the game, which Giovani Lo Celso set him up for in the box to slot home a low shot. The goal marked Messi’s century of international goals, coming 17 years after he opened his Argentina account in 2006.
After the game, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni admired Messi, stating that the accomplishment was fair and deserved. The 35-year-old forward scored two more goals in the first half of the game, with his second goal coming in the 33rd minute, a trademark curling shot into the far post. Messi then set up Enzo Fernandez to fire home from the edge of the box, and he completed his seventh hat-trick for the national team in the 37th minute with a simple finish following another pass from Lo Celso. Substitute Angel Di Maria scored from the penalty spot, and Gonzalo Montiel sealed the rout three minutes from full-time.
In other friendly games, Belgium beat Euro 2024 hosts Germany 3-2, with Kevin De Bruyne being the standout player, scoring one goal and providing two assists. Morocco played out a 0-0 draw with Peru. Meanwhile, Herve Renard resigned as the Saudi Arabia coach to take over the France women’s team ahead of the Women’s World Cup. His departure was confirmed after Tuesday’s 2-1 friendly defeat by Bolivia. The 54-year-old Frenchman was appointed as coach of Saudi Arabia in July 2019 and led the country to a famous 2-1 win over eventual winners Argentina at the World Cup in Qatar last year.
