Record breaker Messi scored his 50th career hat trick

Leo Messi is a player from another planet. The Argentine striker, who is playing his second season at Inter Miami, where he has managed to team up with other former Barcelona players such as Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, adds another record on a par with unique players.

On this occasion, with his three goals against Bolivia, the Argentina player added his 50th hat trick in his career, this time with his national team, a milestone that brings him closer to his nemesis, Cristiano Ronaldo (57).

Messi's 50 hat tricks, his ninth in the ‘Albiceleste’ shirt. He couldn't get any in his two years with Paris Saint-Germain and he hasn't got any so far with the Florida team in the MLS.

It all started in ‘El Clasico

10 March 2007. Barcelona host Real Madrid in a ‘Clasico’ that could mark the season. Leo Messi begins to mark his legend at the Camp Nou. The Argentinian prevented Real Madrid's assault on the Camp Nou on three occasions. Three goals that meant the first of the hat tricks scored by the ‘10’.

Messi had to wait a year and a half to score his second hat-trick. From there, the striker scored one, and another, and another, until he reached number 50 with the Argentina national team against Bolivia. 41 of those hat tricks came in a Barcelona shirt. From the first against Real Madrid to the last one against Mallorca, in a 5-2 win, also at Camp Nou.

Nine were scored by Messi with the Argentina national team. Switzerland, Brazil, Guatemala, Panama, Ecuador, Haiti, Bolivia, Curacao and Paraguay had been his victims with the ‘Albiceleste’ until Tuesday night, when Bolivia became the first team to repeat. Of all the matches, only in the ‘Clasico’ in which he scored the first hat-trick did he fail to win. In all other matches, the Argentinian took all three points.

Favourite victims

Scoring a hat trick is perhaps one of the most difficult things in the world of football. To do it on more than one occasion against an opponent is almost impossible. But Messi doesn't understand the impossible.

Deportivo La Coruna, Sevilla, Atletico Madrid and Valencia have all suffered Messi's display on three occasions. Real Madrid, for their part, have had 2.