BUENOS AIRES: Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick to overtake Pele as the top international goal scorer in South American football history on Thursday (Friday in Manila) as Argentina cruised to a 3-0 victory over Bolivia in their 2022 World Cup qualifier.

Messi pounced for his 77th, 78th and 79th international goals to keep Argentina firmly on course for a place at next year's finals in Qatar against a Bolivia team languishing near the foot of the table.

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