“Against hosts United States in the Copa América Centenario semi-final, Messi’s strike doubles Argentina’s lead and effectively kills the contest, while also marking his 50th goal of a relentless season and underlining his dominance in a man-of-the-match masterclass.”
Hitting the 50-goal mark for the season, Messi tears through the Copa América semi-final with a trademark free-kick and two defence-splitting assists to carry Argentina past the hosts and into another final.
Against Liverpool in a Champions League semi-final, Messi’s late third for Barcelona turns a tight 2–0 into a daunting 3–0 cushion and also marks his 600th goal for the club, a mythic milestone reached on one of Europe’s biggest stages.
In a Copa América quarter-final Argentina already lead 2–0 when Messi caps a dominant captain’s display with a stoppage-time third against Ecuador, sealing a 1+2 masterclass and pushing his international tally to career goal 748 and Copa América goal 13.
In a tense El Clásico Champions League semi-final deadlocked at 0–0, Messi latches onto Afellay’s low cross to break Madrid’s resistance and give Barcelona a crucial first-leg lead, on the way to a brace and his 35th Champions League goal.
Against a relentless Liverpool in a Champions League semi-final, Messi doubles Barcelona’s lead to tilt the tie decisively their way, and the strike also becomes his mythical 600th goal for the club.