Video: Lionel Messi shines with a hat trick and two assists in Argentina's win over Bolivia

Argentina faced Bolivia on matchday 10 of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. Lionel Messi‘s side currently leads the South American qualifiers and is edging closer to securing a spot in the next World Cup. The 6-0 victory is a crucial step toward achieving that goal.

From the start, Argentina asserted themselves as the protagonists of the match. Dominating possession and controlling the territory in their opponent’s half, the reigning world champions displayed strong collective play, patiently moving the ball from side to side to find openings and create scoring opportunities.

The first clear chance fell to Julian Alvarez, who received a pass from Messi and fired a right-footed shot from inside the box, forcing a strong save from goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra. Moments later, however, Lionel Messi broke the deadlock, capitalizing on a defensive mistake pressured by Lautaro Martinez. He recovered the ball, charged into the box, and finished with a precise left-footed strike.

The opener broke down Bolivia‘s defensive resistance, and from that moment, it was all Argentina’s game. Messi nearly doubled the lead with a stunning free kick, which Viscarra managed to deflect. However, minutes later, the second goal arrived: Julian Alvarez delivered a superb pass to Messi, who entered the box and, facing the Bolivian goalkeeper, set up Lautaro Martinez to make it 2-0.

Argentina continued to dominate, quickly extending their lead. In the 48th minute of the first half, the Inter Miami star caught Bolivia off guard with a quick free kick, assisting Alvarez, who showcased a brilliant move inside the box to score the third goal.

In the 24th minute of the second half, after several missed opportunities, Argentina finally netted their fourth goal. It began with a long pass from Leandro Paredes, followed by a precise cross from Nahuel Molina, which Thiago Almada—who had just replaced Julián Álvarez—finished with a clean strike.

Messi’s second-half show

With Argentina already leading 4-0 and the clock ticking down, Lionel Messi added two quick goals to complete yet another hat trick. In both instances, he finished off well-crafted team moves with precise strikes inside the box, showcasing his signature finishing touch.

Argentina move closer to World Cup qualification

With their victory over Bolivia, Argentina secured three crucial points, maintaining their position as the sole leaders of the South American qualifying table. They now have 22 points, holding a three-point lead over Colombia, their nearest challengers.

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Brilliant Messi leads Argentina’s 6-0 thrashing of Bolivia with hat-trick in World Cup Qualifiers

Trailing behind them are Uruguay, Brazil, Ecuador, and Paraguay, all occupying direct qualification spots for the next World Cup. In the playoff positions sit Bolivia with 12 points, while Venezuela, with 11 points, remains just outside the playoff zone. This win gives Lionel Messi and his teammates a considerable advantage, bringing them one step closer to securing their place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico 2026 tournament.