Lionel Messi reminded the world of his exceptional footballing prowess during the recent World Cup qualifying matches. The Argentinian superstar was instrumental in an emphatic victory for his home side, which alongside Brazil, convincingly won their games. Messi’s stellar performance became the highlight of the night.
In the World Cup qualifiers, Messi lit up the field during Argentina’s commanding 6:0 win over Bolivia. The game, played at Buenos Aires’ Estadio Monumental, witnessed Messi scoring a hat trick and assisting in two more goals. Brazil, the record world champion, also proved its strength, defeating Peru 4:0.
Messi scored the first goal in the 19th minute, breaking Argentina’s performance slump from two consecutive defeats. Goals from Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez increased the lead to 3:0 by half-time. The team, under the guidance of National Coach Lionel Scaloni, continued their attacking stance post break, with Thiago Almada scoring their fourth goal. Messi completed the half dozen with two more goals towards the final whistle.
Brazil also claimed a commanding win over Peru, initially propelled by Raphinha’s two goals – both off penalties. Andreas Pereira scored the third, with Luiz Henrique netting the final goal, leading to a 4:0 end result. With this victory in the tenth match day, Brazil maintains its fourth spot in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, held in USA, Canada and Mexico, with 16 points. Argentina, with 22 points, holds onto the top spot in the South American table. Up next in mid-November is Brazil vs Venezuela and Argentina vs Paraguay.