Striker Lionel Messi added another remarkable feat to his football career last Tuesday, when he led the Argentine team, current world champions, to a convincing 3-0 victory over Algeria. The debut match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup was played in Kansas City and marked a special moment for the star. Argentina’s number 10 shone brightly, scoring all three goals in the match.
Historic performance at the opening of the world tournament
The three-goal performance represented Messi’s first World Cup hat-trick. This feat helped Argentina start the defense of their title on the right foot, in front of an audience of over 69 thousand people at Arrowhead Stadium. At 39 years old, the player demonstrated vitality and precision by scoring a goal in the first minutes and two others in the final stage.
The remarkable performance came in his 200th match for the Argentine national team, extending his streak to five consecutive games finding the net in World Cups. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner arrived at the tournament after dealing with a minor thigh injury while playing for Inter Miami, but was unremarkable against the Algerian side. The resilience shown by Messi on the field, overcoming a recent injury and delivering a high-level performance at an advanced age for elite football, underlines his extraordinary dedication and places him as one of the most influential athletes of his generation, defying expectations of longevity in the sport.
Messi equals and surpasses legendary marks in World Cups
Messi’s spectacular display against Algeria saw him equal and break several important records in world football. His first World Cup hat-trick, after appearing in a record six tournaments over two decades, is a milestone in itself.
Among the records achieved, the following stand out:
- Top scorer in the men’s World Cup:With the three goals, Messi tied with German Miroslav Klose, reaching the mark of 16 goals in the history of the tournament.
- Player to score in five different World Cups:According to FIFA, he became only the second male athlete to achieve this feat, joining Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Oldest to score for Argentina in World Cups:His first goal in the match came days before his 39th birthday, setting a new age record for an Argentine player.
- Career hat tricks:The match against Algeria marked the 61st hat-trick of his professional career and the 11th wearing the Argentina shirt.
Challenges for Argentina and the legacy of number 10
Argentina, which won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is seeking a rare feat: becoming the first men’s team to successfully defend the world title since Brazil in 1962. The presence of an in-form Messi is crucial to this historic endeavor, especially considering the pressure inherent in a tournament of this magnitude and the difficulty of maintaining dominance across four-year cycles. His ability to lead and decide games, even as he grows older, further solidifies his place among the greatest players of all time.
Understand the meaning of a hat-trick in football
In football, a hat-trick is the achievement of three goals by a single player during the same match. The expression has its origins in cricket, in the 19th century, where it was used to reward a bowler who managed to eliminate three batters in three consecutive balls. Currently, the term is widely used in several sports, with greater popularity in football and ice hockey, to describe the rare and impressive achievement of three individual goals.
Other stars also shine in the opening round
The opening round of the World Cup was also the stage for other great performances from global stars. French striker Kylian Mbappé scored twice in the 3-1 victory over Senegal, while Norwegian Erling Haaland found the net twice in the 4-1 victory against Iraq. However, Messi’s three goals put him at the top of the World Cup’s opening scoring charts, reinforcing his status as one of the greatest players in history.