“Against Panama at the Copa América Centenario, Messi completes a 29‑minute hat-trick by stretching Argentina’s lead to 3–0, a ruthless cameo that also pushes him past 500 career goals and to his fifth strike in the tournament’s history.”
Messi’s 200th Man of the Match award comes in ruthless style as he steps off the bench in a Copa América group game against Panama and fires a 29‑minute hat-trick, including a trademark free kick, to turn routine dominance into a personal milestone show.
Against PSV with the game still goalless, Messi whips a left‑footed free kick up over the wall and into the top corner beyond a rooted keeper, breaking the deadlock and starting his hat-trick while bringing up his 101st Champions League goal.
Against Ajax in a tight 0–0 Champions League group opener, Messi breaks the deadlock to launch a dominant night that ends in a hat-trick and brings him to 60 goals in the competition and 500 career goal contributions.
From a tight-angle free kick that carries just 0.05 xG, Messi bends the ball over the Leganés wall and beyond a frozen keeper to break the deadlock, marking his 40th direct free-kick goal and career strike number 605.
In the Barcelona derby deadlock, Messi whips a low, bending free kick around the Espanyol wall and just beyond the keeper’s reach to open the scoring, the first of his four-goal haul and career strike number 271.