Lionel Messi delivered a vintage, luminous performance, carrying the Argentine national team to a commanding 3-0 lead over Algeria in their opening group stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Named in the starting lineup by head coach Lionel Scaloni, the match immediately cemented “El Pulga” into the history books. Not only did he earn his exactly 200th cap for Argentina—extending his own all-time appearance record for the nation—but he also became the very first male player in football history to feature in six different World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026).
A Hat-Trick for the Ages
The magic began in the 17th minute when Messi opened the scoring for La Albiceleste with a breathtaking long-range strike. This sensational goal marked his fifth World Cup strike from outside the penalty area, officially matching a nearly 60-year-old record held by Brazilian legend Rivellino.
In the 60th minute, Alexis Mac Allister unleashed a powerful shot from distance. Messi expertly anticipated the play, dashing in to comfortably tap the rebound into the net, doubling the lead to 2-0.
The masterpiece was completed in the 77th minute. Messi secured his hat-trick with a trademark, lethal curling effort that left the Algerian goalkeeper rooted to the spot with absolutely no chance of making a save.
Rewriting the Record Books
With this historic treble, the Argentine captain officially reached 16 World Cup goals. He has now surpassed Brazilian icon Ronaldo de Lima (15 goals) and stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the joint all-time top scorer in FIFA World Cup history.
The records did not stop there:
- Age Defying: At exactly 38 years and 357 days old, Messi became the oldest player in history to score two or more goals in a single World Cup match, shattering the previous record held by Cameroonian legend Roger Milla (38 years and 34 days at the 1990 World Cup).
- Most Goal Contributions: Messi also officially surpassed the great Pelé to become the player with the most direct goal contributions (goals plus assists) in World Cup history with 24. Prior to the 2026 tournament, both icons were tied at 21 contributions each.
Still the Undisputed Master
Following his hat-trick and complete dictation of Argentina’s attacking play, Messi is overwhelmingly favored to be named the Player of the Match for his dazzling display against Algeria. Should this happen, he will further extend a record he already owns. Before the 2026 World Cup began, the Argentine superstar had already won the Man of the Match award 11 times—the most in tournament history since FIFA introduced the official voting format in 2002.
Even at nearly 39 years of age, the legendary forward remains utterly exceptional, proving to the globe that he still possesses the supreme capability to single-handedly decide the outcome of a football match.
In the 80th minute, Messi was finally substituted off to a standing ovation, drawing the curtain on a truly glorious performance. He was replaced by veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi to help see out the historic victory.
