Three and a half years ago, it felt as though Lionel Messi had delivered his farewell on the grandest stage imaginable. Leading Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, he finally claimed the one honour that had eluded him throughout a career already overflowing with trophies. There was a widespread sense that Qatar was the perfect ending — the final act, the ultimate answer to the biggest remaining question in football.
Messi, evidently, had other ideas.
Now at a record-breaking sixth World Cup, the 38-year-old showed in Argentina’s opening match of the 2026 edition that he has absolutely no intention of fading into the background. Against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City — in front of a crowd of 69,045 and under the watch of referee Szymon Marciniak — Messi scored the first World Cup hat-trick of his extraordinary career as the defending champions began their title defence with a commanding 3-0 victory.
It was, in every sense, a Messi performance. Not just in its brilliance, but in the way it casually dismantled record after record, milestone after milestone, as though history-making were simply part of the evening’s routine.
The Goals Themselves
You would be hard pressed to find a more complete hat-trick — one that captured so many dimensions of what makes Messi uniquely devastating.
The first was a ferocious left-footed strike from 20 yards that arrowed into the top corner. The second was a deceptively simple right-footed tap-in, wrong-footing the goalkeeper by placing the ball into the opposite corner from where most forwards would have aimed. The third was quintessential Messi: receiving possession on the edge of the penalty area, shifting onto his left foot with a series of subtle feints, and curling an unstoppable low shot into the bottom-left corner.
He finished three of his six shots on the night, with four attempts hitting the target and two missing. Two goals came from inside the box and one from outside, demonstrating range rather than reliance on a single method. His expected goals for the match sat just over 1.03, which underlines the quality of the finishing — he significantly outperformed the chances available to him. His expected goals on target figure reached 1.57, a reflection of just how cleanly he struck each attempt.
He played 80 minutes before leaving to a fully deserved ovation from the Kansas City crowd.
The Records That Fell
Equalling the All-Time World Cup Scoring Record
Goal number three on the night was Messi’s 16th career World Cup goal, drawing him level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the joint all-time leading scorer in World Cup history. Messi reached the mark in 27 matches; Klose required 24.
The chasing pack behind them is elite in its own right.
| Rank | Player | World Cup Goals | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1= | Lionel Messi | 16 | 27 |
| 1= | Miroslav Klose | 16 | 24 |
| 3 | Ronaldo Nazário | 15 | — |
| 4= | Gerd Müller | 14 | — |
| 4= | Kylian Mbappé | 14 | — |
With the 2026 World Cup only just under way, Messi needs just one more goal to hold the record outright — assuming Kylian Mbappé does not get there first.
The Oldest Player to Score a World Cup Hat-Trick
The hat-trick also made Messi the oldest player ever to score three goals in a single World Cup match. He achieved the feat aged 38 years and 357 days, surpassing the previous record held by his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who was 33 years and 130 days old when he scored a treble against Spain at the 2018 World Cup.
| Player | Age at World Cup Hat-Trick | Tournament | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi | 38 years, 357 days | 2026 | Algeria |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 33 years, 130 days | 2018 | Spain |
His 200th Appearance for Argentina
The match against Algeria came in Messi’s 200th appearance for the Argentina national team — a milestone that arrived almost two decades after his international debut in 2005. Two hundred caps is a rarefied club to belong to, and Messi now belongs to it in the colours of the Albiceleste.
The date carries particular resonance in his story. June 16 has appeared repeatedly in his personal timeline, most notably as the date of his first ever World Cup goal back in 2006. This latest landmark arrived within that same pattern.
First Argentine to Score in Five Consecutive World Cup Matches
The hat-trick made Messi the first Argentine player ever to score in five consecutive World Cup matches, surpassing the previous national record held by Hernán Crespo and Guillermo Stábile, who had each scored in four straight games.
Most World Cup Appearances by Any Player
Messi’s 27th World Cup match is also the most ever played by any player in the history of the tournament — a record of endurance matched with influence that he continues to extend with each appearance.
11th International Hat-Trick, 61st Overall
The performance against Algeria was Messi’s 11th hat-trick for the Argentina national team and his 61st across club and country combined.
First World Cup Since the 2022 Final
It was also Messi’s first World Cup appearance since scoring twice in the iconic 2022 final against France in Qatar — a detail that makes his immediate return to hat-trick form all the more remarkable.
The Numbers Behind the Performance
Beyond the goals, Messi’s overall contribution on the night was a study in complete forward play.
Passing and Chance Creation
He completed 30 of 37 passes for an accuracy rate of 81%, producing two key passes and accumulating 0.31 expected assists. In the opposition half, he went 20 of 24 — a strong rate for a player operating between the lines and regularly in tight spaces. Twelve accurate passes arrived in the final third, helping Argentina sustain pressure throughout the match.
He attempted three crosses, with one finding a teammate, and completed two of three chipped passes. Short combinations formed the foundation of his link-up play, with forward passes providing the decisive edge. It was efficient and purposeful rather than flashy.
Carrying and Progressive Movement
Messi’s ball-carrying did significant territorial work for Argentina. He completed 23 carries for a total distance of approximately 247 metres, with around 145 metres of that classed as progressive distance. His longest single carry advanced play by nearly 38 metres — the kind of surge that turns a midfield position into immediate danger. Eight progressive carries kept Algeria’s defence retreating throughout the match, even without a successful dribble recorded. The effectiveness came from movement and timing rather than constant one-on-one gambles.
Defensive Contribution
His defensive numbers were tidy. Messi won both of his tackle attempts for a 100% success rate, made three ball recoveries, and registered a clearance. He was fouled just once across the entire match — a reflection of how rarely Algeria’s defenders managed to get close enough to challenge him legally. He conceded one foul himself.
Duels and Possession
Ground duels did not go entirely his way, with three wins from eight contested, but the dangerous spaces were managed effectively. He lost possession 15 times across the game — a figure that tracks naturally with the level of involvement and the willingness to attempt risky passes and shots. Critically, none of those turnovers invited genuine trouble, with Argentina protecting their clean sheet comfortably.
He registered 57 touches in total, staying consistently involved without forcing the game or overplaying. There was one offside call and one big chance missed — small blemishes on an otherwise dominant evening.
The Broader Statistical Story
Career Numbers for Argentina
Messi’s international record now stands at 120 goals and 64 assists for Argentina. He averages a goal contribution every 89 minutes — an elite figure by any international standard. He has recorded 11 hat-tricks for his country. In terms of discipline, he has received just two red cards across his entire international career — a figure that reflects a career of extraordinary productivity carried out with remarkable control.
Goals Since Turning 35
Perhaps the most startling individual statistic from the entire evening: ten of Messi’s 16 World Cup goals have come since he turned 35 years old. In the twilight of his playing days — at least, the world assumes they are twilight days — he is producing his most prolific World Cup football.
He has now contributed to 10 goals in his last five World Cup appearances, comprising eight goals and two assists.
Argentina’s Performance
Argentina looked every inch the reigning champions. Ten members of their starting XI against Algeria were part of the squad that lifted the trophy in Qatar, while nine had featured in the final victory over France, six of them from the start.
Whether they can successfully defend their crown remains an open question. Retaining the World Cup is among the most difficult achievements in sport and has not been accomplished by a men’s team since Brazil in 1962.
What Scaloni Said
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni was characteristically effusive in his post-match assessment, speaking to TyC Sports after the final whistle.
“I have no words for Leo, he has been doing it for 20 years. What he does and transmits is incredible. In addition to scoring three goals, Messi put the team on his shoulder and, until he wants to, he will be the best. It’s exciting to see him, for Argentines and anyone who likes football, at almost 39 years old. It’s difficult to explain.”
The Bigger Picture
Messi is now playing his club football for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer — away from the weekly scrutiny of European football — but that geographical shift has done nothing to diminish his impact on the international stage. Twenty years after making his World Cup debut, he is still breaking records, still deciding matches, and still making the impossible feel routine.
The 2026 World Cup has barely begun. Messi needs only one more goal to hold the all-time scoring record outright. Argentina are up and running with three points and a clean sheet in Group J. And the man who was supposed to have delivered his farewell in Qatar appears to have absolutely no interest in farewells.
He is still the No. 10. Still left-footed. Still central to everything Argentina do. And still, apparently, the best player on the planet’s biggest stage.
