Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick to overtake Pele as the top international goalscorer in South American football history on Friday morning (Sept 10, Singapore time) as Argentina cruised to a 3-0 victory over Bolivia in a 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.