Messi's two goals and one assist helped Argentina ensure top spot in Group A, setting up a quarterfinal against Ecuador on Saturday.
The 34-year-old Messi started the Copa America match against Bolivia at the Arena Pantanal on Monday, marking his 148th appearance for the national team
Record-chasing Lionel Messi doesn't want to rest at the Copa America despite Argentina already having secured its place in the quarterfinals.
The win also put Argentina atop Group A with seven points from three matches; helping them reach the tournament's knockout stages.
Argentina are looking to Lionel Messi to help it secure a spot in the Copa America knockout stages with a win against Paraguay.
Argentina and Uruguay go into Friday's Copa America encounter with neither team having won in three games since November.
Speaking after the match, Messi made his dissatisfaction heard on team's performance saying that the team failed to show calmness and quick ball movement during the match while pointing out that conceding the penalty changed the game.
Messi's 57th goal from a direct free-kick overall meant the FC Barcelona star is now five goals shy of Diego Maradona's Argentina record of 62 goals from such a dead-ball situation.
No fans were present at the Nilton Santos stadium in Rio de Janeiro for the latest tribute to the Argentine football great, this one organized by South American soccer body CONMEBOL
The game at the Nilton Santos stadium in Rio de Janeiro was also marked by a tribute to Argentine football great Diego Maradona, who died in November at age 60.
The 33-year-old football star might have one of his final chances at the Copa America.
Defender Juan Foyth and striker Lucas Ocampos are the most notable absentees from the 28-player squad, despite featuring regularly since Lionel Scaloni became head coach in 2018.
The result will keep Lionel Messi's Argentine team in second spot in South American qualifying if leader Brazil doesn't lose to Ecuador in Porto Alegre on Friday.
Messi, his teammates and coach Lionel Scaloni watched the unveiling of a bronze statue of the soccer great at the Único Madres de Ciudades stadium, in Santiago del Estero.
The national team complex in Ezeiza will become a fortress to host superstar Lionel Messi and his teammates for the tournament, which will be played between June 13-July 10.
Peruvian President Manuel Merino has resigned from his position, creating turmoil in the country and forcing Argentina to cancel its training sessions in the capital.
Argentina defeated Bolivia 2-1 in the South American qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Brazil thrashed Bolivia 5-0 in Sao Paulo on Friday, but will travel to Peru, a team that qualified for the last World Cup and pulled off a 2-2 draw with Paraguay in Asuncion.
Lionel Messi and Neymar return to national team duty this week to launch World Cup qualifying campaigns that the South American superstars hope will lead to glory in Qatar in 2022.
Local media outlets have reported that the AFA and the Superliga Argentina are considering a plan to choose a city with little or no coronavirus cases as their temporary home.
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