Wed Oct 16 03:17:15 UTC 2024: ## Messi Magic Fuels Argentina’s 6-0 Rout of Bolivia in World Cup Qualifiers
**Buenos Aires, Argentina** – Lionel Messi delivered a virtuoso performance, scoring a hat-trick and assisting on two more goals, as Argentina crushed Bolivia 6-0 in their South American World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday. This historic win saw Messi achieve a new milestone, becoming the first time in his international career to record multiple goals and assists in a single game.
The match, played at the Monumental de Nuñez Stadium in front of a passionate home crowd, saw Messi capitalize on a defensive blunder to open the scoring in the 19th minute. He continued his dominance throughout the game, setting up goals for Lautaro Martinez and Julián Álvarez before adding two more goals in the closing stages.
His hat-trick, his 10th for Argentina, tied him with Cristiano Ronaldo for the most hat-tricks scored for their respective national teams.
Argentina, who are currently the Copa América champions, remain at the top of the qualifying table with 22 points, three points clear of Colombia. While Bolivia, hoping to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 30 years, remain in contention with 12 points.
Messi, who recently recovered from an injury sustained at the Copa América, delivered a powerful message with his performance. He said, “We enjoyed this, we are happy to be here playing in Argentina,” but remained ambiguous about his future, refusing to confirm whether he will play in the next World Cup in 2026.
This performance, a testament to Messi’s enduring brilliance, further cemented Argentina’s status as a strong contender for the 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
First Piper 