Franco Mastantuono breaks Lionel Messi record with hat-trick

Franco Mastantuono, a 19-year-old Argentine striker on loan from Real Madrid, set a new record by becoming the youngest Argentine to score a hat-trick in one of Europe’s five major leagues. His performance came during Fiorentina’s 4-2 victory over Venezia in Serie A.

By scoring three goals at the age of 19 years and 28 days, Mastantuono broke a nearly 20-year-old record held by Lionel Messi, who achieved a similar feat at 19 years and 259 days old. Mastantuono also became the youngest foreign player to score a hat-trick in Serie A and the youngest player in Fiorentina history to do so.

The match marked a turning point for Fiorentina, securing their first three points of the season following three consecutive losses. Under new manager Paolo Vanoli, the team overcame an early deficit through Mastantuono’s rapid scoring, including two goals scored within one minute in the first half.