Lionel Messi produced a stunning hat-trick as Argentina cruised to a 3-0 victory over Algeria in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group J opener at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, delivering a vintage masterclass that left fans and pundits in awe.
The 38-year-old captain opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a trademark strike, added a second just after the hour mark, and completed his first-ever World Cup hat-trick in the 76th minute. The performance powered the defending champions to a dominant win and saw Messi etch his name deeper into football immortality.
🚨🇦🇷 Lionel Messi (38) has had a truly HISTORIC performance… 🐐
🥇 Messi is now Argentina's OLDEST ever World Cup goalscorer
🥇 Messi is now the OLDEST ever player to score a World Cup brace
The night was littered with history. Here are five records Messi broke or equalled against Algeria:
Joint all-time World Cup top scorer — Messi reached 16 career World Cup goals, equalling Miroslav Klose’s long-standing record, which had stood since 2014.
Oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick — At 38 years and 357 days, he surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo’s previous mark, set at 33 years and 131 days at the 2018 World Cup.
Most goal contributions in World Cup history — Messi now sits on 24 (16 goals and 8 assists), moving clear of Pele.
Oldest Argentine goalscorer at a World Cup — He also became the oldest player to score multiple goals in a single World Cup match for Argentina.
First World Cup hat-trick of his career — Despite appearing at six World Cups across two decades, Tuesday night marked the first time Messi had scored three goals in a single World Cup match.
At an age when most players have long retired, Messi continues to defy logic. This masterclass sends a clear message: the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner remains the heartbeat of Argentina’s quest for back-to-back World Cup glory.
