Argentina secured a dominant 6-0 victory against Bolivia in the World Cup qualifiers, with Lionel Messi shining by scoring a hat-trick and providing two assists. This match, held at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, marked Messi's return to the pitch in front of his home fans after recovering from a Copa America injury. With this win, Argentina leads the South American qualifying standings with 22 points, three ahead of Colombia. Messi's performance was particularly notable as he opened the scoring in the 19th minute, assisted Lautaro Martínez's goal, and contributed to Julián Álvarez's own goal. He capped off his night with two goals in quick succession towards the end of the match, bringing his international tally to 112 goals.
Brazil also had a successful night, defeating Peru 4-0 at home, with Rafinha scoring two penalties and contributing to the team's resurgence in the qualifiers. This win followed their previous 2-1 victory over Chile, allowing Brazil to climb to fourth place in the standings with 16 points. Colombia also bounced back after a recent loss, defeating Chile 4-0, while Uruguay faced pressure after a string of poor performances. The next round of qualifiers will see Argentina facing Paraguay and Brazil taking on Venezuela.
- The match between Argentina and Bolivia was significant not only for Messi's individual accolades but also for its implications on the World Cup qualifying campaign, as only six teams will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, with one team entering playoffs. Messi expressed his joy at playing in front of the home crowd, stating that the affection from fans motivates him to continue performing at a high level. Meanwhile, Brazil's improvement in form is crucial as they aim to secure their position in the top qualifying spots after a rocky start to the campaign. Colombia's victory over Chile was also a vital step in maintaining their competitiveness in the qualifiers, demonstrating the tight race among the South American teams.
