‘You cannot describe Messi in words’

Lionel Messi surpassed the 100-goals mark for World Cup champions Argentina on Tuesday by scoring a hat-trick in their 7-0 friendly win over Curacao.

After having reached 800 goals in his career against Panama, La Pulga shone again with the Argentine national team shirt, this time against Curacao.

Messi came into the game not just as his country's all-time record goalscorer, but with more goals than the next two top marksmen -- Gabriel Batistuta on 56 and Sergio Aguero with 41 -- put together.

This was Argentina's second match since winning the World Cup in dramatic style against France in Qatar in December -- triumphing 4-2 on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw -- and it was always going to be about Messi reaching 100 goals.

Now with 102, he remains third in the all-time list, behind great rival Cristiano Ronaldo (122) of Portugal and Iran's Ali Daei (109).

It was his seventh hat-trick for the national team.

"You cannot describe Messi in words," said fellow goalscorer Nicolas Gonzalez.

"He's the best in the world and he shows it match after match, day after day. Every time he touches the ball, he makes you smile."

"We will never stop celebrating and I think it's fair and deserved," Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni told reporters.

"I hope there will be more (Messi goals), he deserves all the praise and it's good that these goals had been on Argentine soil, that has a special value too."

After the 7-0 win against Curaçao, Claudio Tapia, president of the AFA , gave him a special shirt, a plaque and the ball with which he scored his 100th goal with the Argentine National Team .