The sun was dipping behind the Kansas City skyline when Lionel Messi etched his name into World Cup history once more. Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria was the stage for his first World Cup hat-trick — a performance that took his tournament tally to 16 goals, equalling the record held by Miroslav Klose. At 38, he became the first man to feature at six World Cups, beating rival Cristiano Ronaldo by a day.
Twenty years to the day after his World Cup debut as an 18-year-old at Germany 2006, Messi marked his 200th appearance for his country with a masterclass. It was a day packed with football’s biggest names: Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland had each scored twice earlier. But this was the main show.
“Lionel Messi scores first World Cup hat-trick, equals Klose's record of 16 goals, and leads Golden Boot race.”
There was an early glimpse of what was to come. Four minutes in, Messi raced clear and slipped the ball past Algeria’s goalkeeper, Luca Zidane, only for the offside flag to cut short what would have been a fairytale start. Fans celebrated as if Argentina had won the World Cup. This was just a delay.
By the 18th minute, Messi’s moment arrived. Twenty-five yards out, he shifted onto his left foot and curled a superb effort towards the top-right corner. Zidane — son of the legendary Zinedine — could only watch.
A few moments of concern followed when Messi’s studs caught the top of Aissa Mandi’s heel just past the half-hour mark. The referee took no action, and Messi took full advantage. He completed his hat-trick before the final whistle, each goal a reminder that age has not dimmed his brilliance.
Afterwards, Messi was emotional. “To enjoy this with my family, with my team-mates, the ones who are always there, is a really beautiful moment,” he said. “The squad, it’s a very united, very strong group. I feel good; we were lucky enough to win a tough match. It’s important to start off with a win in the first game.” He added: “Everything I’m experiencing now is a bonus. I’ve been fortunate enough to achieve all my dreams — or even more than I ever dreamed of achieving — both professionally and personally.”
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni was left searching for words. “I don’t have the words to describe Messi,” he said. “For 20 years, he’s had us used to seeing things like this and he inspires everyone who watches him play.”
Messi’s hat-trick also propelled him to the top of the Golden Boot race for the 2026 World Cup, leading Mbappe and Haaland as Ronaldo and England’s Harry Kane look to respond. Argentina, packed stadiums behind them, have started with a win. The Messi show rolls on.