Messi Steals the Show: Argentina’s 6-0 Triumph Over Bolivia
Well, well, well! If you didn’t catch the match, you missed a spectacle that could only be described as “Messi on a mission!” In front of a raucous crowd at the Monumental Stadium, Argentina completely dominated Bolivia, winning 6-0. And let’s just say, there’s a reason they’re chanting “Messi” louder than they chant for their local pizza delivery guy. This wasn’t just a game; it was a show, a gala, a circus—who needs acrobats when you’ve got La Pulga twirling around defenders like they’re traffic cones?
In a performance that can only be classified as historic (seriously, grab your history books), Messi bagged his 10th international hat-trick. That’s right. Ten! It’s like the kid who shows up to the party with ten party tricks—you’re just grateful he’s here, but you’re also starting to get a bit tired of it. Oh look, another hat-trick. Can we just get a hat convention started? Why limit ourselves to just one trip? Let’s see how many hats we can stack, shall we?
The maestro fed the crowd their first taste of glory in the 19th minute, putting the ball in the net and immediately making them forget about everything else in their lives—like job stress, family drama, or the relentless march of time. Then, there’s Guillermo Viscarra, Bolivia’s goalkeeper, who, despite his best attempts, looked more like he was auditioning for a circus act than a World Cup qualifier. At one point, I half-expected him to attempt a backflip to stop a goal.
Not that the Bolivia defense made it easy for him—oh no! Messi’s teammates unplugged the game for the Bolivian side around the 43rd minute, like a bad WiFi signal dropping right when you need it. Lautaro Martinez scored with a pass from Messi, and it was like watching a cat toy with a mouse. You just knew it was going to end badly for the mouse, even if it didn’t understand the physics of football. Then, right just before halftime, Julian Alvarez got in on the action, scoring the third following another Martinez finish off a Messi setup. If you’re keeping score at home, that’s one goal and two assists for Messi by halftime. Only Messi could show up for a hangout and still end up being the host.
Fast forward to the second half, and you can already sense an Argentine fiesta brewing. Thiago Almada got in on the fun with a goal at the 70th minute. By this time, anyone wearing Bolivian colors must have felt like they were in the wrong neighborhood. It was like walking into a club where everyone else has VIP access, and you can’t find the exit.
As we approached the end, Messi decided to throw gasoline on the fire—not literally, of course—but metaphorically speaking, with another outrageous goal after outplaying two defenders. At that point, I thought the crowd might just have a collective heart attack. He capped off his performance with his third goal, electrifying the stands and sending screaming fans into raptures! Equaling the world record for hat-tricks in international men’s football with 112 goals for his country, it was like Messi said to Cristiano Ronaldo, “Hold my drink!” Talk about a rivalry!
Messi on the Hat-Trick
Speaking after the match, La Pulga made the subtle claim that he “really wanted to play in Argentina again.” Right, because staying in Miami is just a bit too, I don’t know, *relaxing*, right? He’s like a kid on Christmas morning, full of excitement about the connection with his fans. I mean, if I could make millions while running rings around defenders, I’d have a similar sparkle in my eyes too!
Now, don’t get too comfortable, because Messi will soon be back with Inter Miami, leaving behind a trail of jaws dropping among fans and a mountain of celebration, as if he’d just won the lottery and the lottery was also a game of football. They’ve just won the Supporters Shield, but let’s be honest: every time Messi walks onto that pitch, it’s less about the game and more of a performance art crossover that even Banksy would have a hard time replicating.
So, football fans buckle up! If this match was anything to go by, the next one is bound to be a wild ride. Just make sure you have your popcorn ready because with Messi in play, you might just need it for the next thrilling chapter!
In front of a cheering crowd at the Monumental Stadium, Messi and Argentina beat Bolivia 6-0 in South American qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
It was a historic performance since Pulga scored their 10th international hat-trick and made 2 assists.
In his second international match after recovering from an injury suffered during the Copa America in July, Messi scored the first goal of the match in the 19th minute.
Guillermo Viscarra, Bolivia’s goalkeeper, made some excellent saves to prevent the hosts from adding to their advantage, but in the 43rd minute Lautaro Martinez scored from a short pass from Messi.
Just before halftime, Argentina took a 3-0 lead thanks to a Julian Alvarez goal set up by Messi.
The second half was also dominated by Lionel Scaloni’s side with another goal from Thiago Almada in the 70th minute to put the home side 4-0 ahead.
In the final seconds, Messi gave Argentina fans even more reason to celebrate by outplaying two Bolivian defenders and then firing a powerful effort past Viscarra for his second goal of the match.
It only took two more minutes for the Argentina captain to complete his hat-trick and electrify the crowd.
With 112 goals for his country, the Argentina captain has now equaled Cristiano Ronaldo to become the record holder for the most hat-tricks in men’s international football.
Messi on the hat-trick
Speaking after the match, La Pulga said on social media: “I really wanted to play in Argentina again and I’m more excited than ever by the affection and connection with the people. We continue with the same enthusiasm!”
He now returns to action with Inter Miami after winning the Supporters Shield in the MLS playoffs.
