Xuenou > Sports > Lionel Messi gets hero’s welcome at boyhood club – and then scores first half hat-trick
Lionel Messi gets hero’s welcome at boyhood club – and then scores first half hat-trick
Lionel Messi gets hero's welcome at boyhood club - and then scores first half hat-trick,Lionel Messi celebrated his 36th birthday in style after scoring an impressive hat-trick during an exhibition match in his hometown of Rosario to commemorate the career of one of his former team-mates

Lionel Messi gets hero’s welcome at boyhood club – and then scores first half hat-trick

Lionel Messi scored a stunning first half hat-trick in an exhibition match pitting Argentina against Newell's Old Boys to celebrate former international team-mate Maxi Rodriguez's retirement.

Messi, who was coincidentally celebrating his 36th birthday, was one of a number of Argentinian icons who took part in the game including the likes of Angel Di Maria, Ariel Ortega and Gabriel Batistuta.

The event was set up for Rodriguez, formerly of Liverpool, but the night belonged to Messi, who was serenaded by thousands of raucous fans packed into the Marcelo Bielsa Stadium as he entered the pitch, with fireworks lighting up the night sky in his hometown of Rosario.

The Inter Miami superstar netted his first goal from a free-kick after just four minutes and added a second with a sumptuous chip after the half-hour mark before completing his hat-trick with a stunning volleyed-effort just before the interval.

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The match finished 7-5 to Newell's Old Boys, Messi's old team of course, and the Barcelona legend spoke of his pride of being back at home after the game.

"It had been a long time since I had spent a birthday in Rosario, with my family and my friends," Messi was quoted as saying by ESPN Argentina.

He also also spoke about how special it was to win the World Cup with Argentina back in December, adding: "As I said at the time: it was our turn to be world champions, but behind us were millions of impressive players who did many great things with the National Team, beyond the fact that they did not raise a cup.

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Messi was all smiles as he walked out onto the pitch in his hometown of Rosario
Messi was all smiles as he walked out onto the pitch in his hometown of Rosario (Image: SC_ESPN/Twitter)

"Although what we did is something special and unique, the dream of every footballer… you're thinking about what's to come, more than what you did.

"When it's my turn to leave football, I'm going to remember and enjoy everything I've achieved much more."

The crowd lapped up the former Barcelona star
The crowd lapped up the former Barcelona star (Image: AP)

Messi spent five years in Newell's Old Boys' academy as a youngster before being snapped up by Barcelona in 2000, after famously having his contract drawn up on a paper napkin.

Following Diego Maradona's death in 2020, Messi paid tribute to the Argentina legend by unveiling a Newell's Old Boys shirt and pointing to the sky after scoring for Barcelona (Maradona having spent a year at Newell's Old Boys after leaving Sevilla in 1993).