Crispybeatle (Public domain), via Wikimedia Commons

Mastantuono beats Messi record with hat trick for Fiorentina

Franco Mastantuono delivered a historic performance on Friday, bagging three goals in Fiorentina's 4-2 triumph over Venezia to earn his club their initial points of the campaign and lift them to 15th in the standings. In doing so, the 19-year-old and 28-day-old winger surpassed Lionel Messi by 231 days to become the youngest Argentine to net a treble within Europe's primary five leagues, breaking a benchmark set during Messi's famous 2007 Clásico showing.

After Akor Adams capitalized on setup play by Gianluca Busio to put Venezia ahead in minute 22, Mastantuono answered with two strikes separated by just 98 seconds around the half-hour mark, simultaneously setting a franchise record as the youngest Fiorentina player to log a multi-goal display. Mateo Pellegrino extended the advantage midway through the final half, and while Antoine Hainaut added a consolation tally for a Venezia squad that remains stranded in last place without a point, Mastantuono finalized his hat trick in the 84th minute.