Less than 24 hours after bitter rival Cristiano Ronaldo bagged a hat trick for Real Madrid against Glatasaray in UEFA Champions League play, FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi did the same feat, this time against AFC Ajax.

The striker out of Argentina hardly broke a sweat in a laugher of a match at Camp Nou, getting his first goal courtesy of a free kick off a Lerin Duarte foul.

However, Ajax, behind Bojan Krkic, who is on loan from Barca, maneouvered through the defense before unleashing a cross to the back post. Ricardo van Rhijn tried to capitalise on the pass with a header, but a save by keeper Victor Valdes kept his 2013-2014 Champions League sheet immaculate. Valdes came up with another crucial save on an attempt by Duarte, who fired from just outside the penalty area.

Brazilian wunderkind Neymar, making his debut in Champions League play, added energy to the already-pumped up Barca attack when he outraced the defense and fired a shot straight to Ajax goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer. Neymar was clearly the most active player of the match as he had multiple goal attempts and an assist to Gerard Pique, who knocked home a header.

Before the Pique header, though, Messi once again showed off his ball control, weaving on a four-on-three to knock in the ball off the near post with his left foot. He followed it up with a feint-and-shoot in the 75th minute, earning him his UEFA-record 4th hat trick.

Ajax was reduced to being mere spectators as Valdes tended the goal with relative ease, saving a Kolbein Sigthorsson penalty kick. It didn't help when defender Niklas Moisander was booked for tripping Andres Iniesta.

Messi's hat trick now brings his Champions League total to 62 goals in 80 appearances. He has also scored 322 goals for Barca since joining the club from its youth squad in 2004. He is also one of the highest-paid football players in the world, having signed an €80 million deal good until 2018. His salary, though, has been surpassed by a resurgent Cristiano Ronaldo, who signed a €90 million extension over the weekend.