Watch: Lionel Messi reaches career milestone with stunning first-half hat-trick against Curacao

Lionel Messi, the Argentine superstar, has once again proven why he is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time. In a recent match against Curacao, Messi scored a first-half hat-trick, surpassing the 100-goal milestone for Argentina. At 35 years old, he continues to display his exceptional skills and remains amongst an elite group of players.

Each of Messi's three goals showcased his cleverness and presence of mind, as he found himself in the right place at the right time. His sublime finishes were a joy to behold for fans of the sport. The World Cup winners dominated the match, beating Curacao 7-0 in their second game since clinching the trophy in December.

Messi opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a right-foot shot from the edge of the box, reaching the 100-goal milestone. Nico Gonzalez added another goal just three minutes later with a header from close range. 

MESSI WHAT A CRAZY HALF, ENJOY THE GOALS!!!!  pic.twitter.com/f9nwKcoUeS

—  (@MessiMX30iiii) March 29, 2023

Messi then scored his 101st goal for Argentina in the 33rd minute with a crossed shot to the right of the goalkeeper, and his 102nd in the 37th minute after an easy run to score. Two minutes earlier, he had assisted Enzo Fernandez's blast from the edge of the box.

Despite his impressive achievement, Messi still trails behind Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored 122 goals for his national team, and Iran's Ali Daei, who has scored 109.

Returning to Messi's record, he has now joined the elite club of players who have scored an incredible 800 goals in their careers, with only Cristiano Ronaldo having achieved this feat before him, back in December 2021. It's clear that when Messi sets his sights on a record, Ronaldo is never far behind, as he proved once again by becoming the most capped player in men's international football on Thursday. 

Ronaldo's 197th international game saw him take to the field against Liechtenstein, where he helped Portugal secure a resounding 4-0 victory. This impressive milestone saw him surpass the previous record held by Kuwait's Bader Al-Mutawa, who played 196 international matches during his career.

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