Messi aims subtle dig at Ronaldo after scoring hat-trick for Argentina

• Argentina captain Lionel Messi marked his return to his native country with a five-star performance
• The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner had a hand in five of the six goals Argentina scored against Bolivia
• In his post-match interview, when mention of his stats was made, Messi shrugged them off, stating he's not interested in the numbers

Lionel Messi gave a cool response after netting a hat-trick for Argentina on Tuesday night against Bolivia at the Estadio Mas Monumental.

Messi scored three, with teammates Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez, and Thiago Almada also finding the back of the net.

Lionel Messi was informed of some stats but the Argentinian claimed he is not interested in the numbers. Photos by Gustavo Ortiz/Alex Livesey.
Source: UGC

This victory keeps Lionel Scaloni’s squad at the top of the CONMEBOL qualification table with 22 points, three points clear of second-place Colombia.

With this hat-trick, Messi has now reached 112 goals for Argentina, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo’s 133 goals for Portugal.

After the match, Messi was asked about his third goal celebration:

“100 goals with number 10 for Argentina, 58th career hat-trick, 10th with the national team—is that why you celebrated like that?”

In a video shared on social media, the Argentine phenom replied casually:

“Nah, honestly, I didn’t know. I’m not one to keep track of stats, but it’s nice to score another goal.”

Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record as the top international goal-scorer, leading by 21 goals in 27 more matches. He famously remarked via Tribuna:

“I don’t chase records; they chase me.”

Now 37, Messi is gradually approaching the twilight of his career.

In recent months, there has been growing speculation about how much longer he will continue on the international stage.

Messi discusses his future

After the final whistle, Messi reflected on his journey with the national side, hinting at the possibility of the twilight of his international career.

"It’s really nice to come here, to feel the affection of the people. It moves me how they shout my name," Messi shared as cited by Albiceleste Talk, acknowledging the deep bond with his supporters.

When asked about his future, particularly regarding his participation in the 2026 World Cup, Messi remained open yet reflective.

"I haven’t set any date or deadline regarding my future; I just want to enjoy all of this. It moves me more than ever to be here and feel the love of the people because I know these could be my last matches.""As long as I feel good and can keep performing the way I want, we’ll keep enjoying it."

Mohamed Salah 'ends' GOAT debate

In another publication, Legit.ng reported that Liverpool and Egypt superstar Mohamed Salah 'settled' the GOAT debate in a definitive manner.

In March this year, when asked to choose between Messi and Ronaldo, the 32-year-old quickly named former Barcelona star Lionel Messi without hesitation.

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Source: YEN.com.gh