#581Career GoalLegendary
“With Argentina’s World Cup hopes hanging in the balance in Quito, Messi restores a 2–1 lead over Ecuador on the way to a rescue hat-trick, his second strike of the night and 20th goal in World Cup qualifiers.”
Hat-trickWinning Goal
Year2017
WCQ#20
2017/18'#16
Body PartLeft Foot
Shot TypeOpen Play
Technique—
2017#716
WCQ2017-10-10 · 18:30:00
1-3
Ecuador
Argentina
3G
With Argentina on the brink of missing the World Cup for the first time since 1970, Messi went to the altitude of Quito and almost single-handedly saved their campaign. After Argentina fell behind inside a minute, he produced a ruthless hat-trick, turning a potential national disaster into qualification for Russia 2018 and cementing one of the defining nights of his international career.
Minute20'
Score
1-1→1-2
xG
—
Impact
Winning Goal
Similar Goals
Goal#194
2011
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.
Knockout StageWinning Goal
@
Real Madrid0–2
Apr 27Goal#580
2017
With Argentina trailing 1–0 in a must-win World Cup qualifier in Quito, Messi latches onto Ángel Di María’s early pass to level the score and ignite the hat-trick that drags his country back toward Russia, bringing up career goal 580 in the process.
Hat-trick
@Ecuador1–3Oct 10Goal#129
2010
In a Champions League quarter-final with Barcelona trailing Arsenal, Messi’s first strike instantly drags Barça level and ignites the four-goal masterclass that turns this night into his iconic Camp Nou ‘poker’, capped as career goal No.129 and his 22nd in the competition.
Hat-trickKnockout Stage
vs
Arsenal4–1Apr 6Goal#582
2017
In a do-or-die World Cup qualifier away to Ecuador, Messi completes his hat-trick from an Otamendi assist to turn Argentina’s once-precarious campaign into a 3–1 lead, pushing them firmly toward Russia and adding another strike to his towering World Cup qualifying tally.
Hat-trick
@Ecuador1–3Oct 10Goal Sequence
No data
ReceiptCarryDribbleShotUnder PressureWith ballPass
ReceiptCarryDribbleShotPass
Media Center