Lionel Messi equals another Cristiano Ronaldo record following standout display against Bolivia
Lionel Messi matched another Cristiano Ronaldo record following his performance for Argentina in the World Champions 6-0 win over Bolivia. The legendary forward bagged a hat-trick to equal his long-term rival's record of 10 hat-tricks for his international side.
The 37-year-old was fabulous for his nation in the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifier at the Estadio Mas Monumental, finding the back of the net in the 19th, 84th and 86th minutes. His performance helped the Copa America champions hold the top spot on the table and maintain their three-point lead over Colombia.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are considered to be two of the best players in the history of football. The pair have thirteen Ballon d'Or awards between them and are the two highest goalscorers among active international footballers.
The competitive duo will now compete to see who bags the most international hat-tricks in the coming games for their nations. Ronaldo and Portugal next face Poland on 15 November while Messi and Argentina next visit Paraguay on the same day.
"I think he’s magic" - When Cristiano Ronaldo's former manager praised Lionel Messi
Last year, Cristiano Ronaldo's former manager Zinedine Zidane lavished praise on Lionel Messi for his abilities as a footballer. The former French midfielder managed the Portuguese icon against his Argentine rival during a trophy trophy-laden stint with Real Madrid that saw him win the UEFA Champions League three times in a row.
Zidane managed Ronaldo for 114 games which saw him bag 112 goals and 30 assists in the Spanish capital. Despite that, he hailed the Argentine maestro in a video together for Adidas on YouTube, saying:
"No, it's only one word: magic, Leo and I are not together every day, so today is a very important day for me because I can tell him how much I admire him. And all the people who like football, and all these players who are different, I think he’s magic, magic in the sense that before receiving the ball, he already knew what needed to be done."
He concluded:
"Especially for me, as someone who understands football, watching you on the field, I almost knew what you would do, you know? It was like a connection. When I see him doing what he does, I say, 'That’s it.' That’s what people want to see in football, there are only a few of them. There are a few, but not like him. Only a few… Well, one."
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominated the football landscape over their illustrious careers, inspiring millions across the planet. They are now coming to the end of their careers at 37 and 39, respectively.
