Lionel Messi returned to the Argentina national team in a big way on Tuesday with a hat-trick and two assists in a World Cup qualifier.

The 37-year-old icon also acknowledged that the games he is playing now in the twilight of his career “could be the last games.” He declined in a post-match interview to play for Argentina in the 2026 World Cup.

Messi returned to the line-up for Tuesday’s match in Buenos Aires in front of about 85,000 raucous fans against Bolivia after missing Argentina’s previous two World Cup qualifiers with an ankle injury. He was in top form in a 6–0 win to keep Argentina top of the South American standings.

Messi got the scoring started with a breakaway goal in the 19th minute, much to the delight of the crowd at the Monumental de Nuñez Stadium.

Messi then assisted on a Lautaro Martínez goal in the 43rd minute, doubling Argentina’s lead to 2–0. This goal also came on a breakaway.

Julián Alvarez scored the third goal of the evening for Argentina just before halftime. This was also thanks to an assist from Messi.

Messi was unable to handle Argentina’s fourth goal, a Thiago Almada strike from just outside the goal area. But he capped the scoring spree with two more goals to complete the hat-trick.

In the 84th minute, Messi took a pass from Exequiel Palacios and passed Bolivian defenders for a right-footed strike just inside the penalty area.

He then completed the hat-trick in the 86th minute with another goal from just inside the penalty area, this time with his left foot.

The more than ninety minutes of celebration in the stands continued with cheers and gestures of adoration from an Argentine crowd surely aware that there won’t be many more moments like this.

Messi expressed his own appreciation for the moment after the match.

Argentina is set to defend its 2022 World Cup title when the tournament moves to North America for matches in the US, Mexico and Canada. When asked if he plans to be there during those matches, Messi chose to focus on the moment at hand.

“I haven’t set a date or deadline,” he said. ‘I just want to enjoy it all. “I’m more excited than ever to be here and feel the love from the people because I know these could be the last games.”