Messi Reaches 100th International Goal For Argentina In 7-0 Win Over Curacao

Argentina captain Lionel Messi scored his 100th international goal for the reigning world champions on Tuesday as they romped to a 7-0 friendly win over Curacao.

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner opened the scoring against the Caribbean island minnows on 20 minutes in Santiago del Estero, 17 years after he opened his Argentina account in a 3-2 defeat to Croatia in March 2006.

? #SelecciónMayor - #Amistoso

⚽ @Argentina ?? 7 (Lionel #Messi x3, Nicolás González, Enzo Fernández, Ángel Di María y Gonzalo Montiel) ? #Curazao ?? 0

? ¡Final del partido! pic.twitter.com/Umrmx3B6zM

— ?? Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) March 29, 2023

The 35-year-old added another goal just after the half-hour mark to make it 3-0 and then completed his hat-trick on 37 minutes with the fifth as Argentina toyed with their overmatched opponents.

It was Messi's seventh hat trick for the national team. "You cannot describe Messi in words," said fellow goalscorer Nicolas Gonzalez.

"He's the best in the world and he shows it match after match, day after day. Every time he touches the ball, he makes you smile." Messi came into the game as his country's all-time record goalscorer, with more goals than the next two top marksmen – Gabriel Batistuta with 56 and Sergio Aguero with 41 – put together.

#SelecciónMayor

? Lionel #Messi alcanzó los 1⃣0⃣0⃣ goles con la Selección @Argentina. ¡Gracias por cada grito, capitán!

? https://t.co/RGWV8PDdJ4 pic.twitter.com/GJJZVqLhgd

— ?? Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) March 29, 2023

This was Argentina's second match since winning the World Cup in dramatic style against France in Qatar in December, triumphing 4-2 on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw, and it was always going to be about Messi reaching 100 goals. Now with 102, he remains third in the all-time list, behind great rival Cristiano Ronaldo (122) of Portugal and Iran's Ali Daei (109).

'Straight to the museum'

Curacao, ranked 86th by the world governing body FIFA, could only hold out for 20 minutes before Messi took a pass from Giovanni Lo Celso, cut inside his marker onto his weaker right foot and fired a low shot into the bottom corner.

The referee was then seen on live television throwing the ball to someone on the side of the pitch as DirecTV commentators speculated that it was heading "straight to the museum."