Football fans witnessed another historic chapter in the remarkable career of Lionel Messi as the Argentine legend broke five major FIFA World Cup records during Argentina’s commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria.
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The defending champions began their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign in style, with Messi producing a vintage display that left supporters, pundits and former players around the globe in awe.
At 38 years old, the Argentine captain showed that age remains just a number, scoring all three goals to secure Argentina’s opening victory and reinforce his status as one of football’s greatest-ever players.
First Player to Feature in Six World Cups
Messi made history before the match even kicked off by becoming the first footballer to appear in six different FIFA World Cups.
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His appearances now span two decades, beginning in Germany 2006 and continuing through South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, Qatar 2022 and now the 2026 tournament in North America.
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The achievement highlights an extraordinary level of consistency and longevity rarely seen in elite sport.
Hat-Trick Hero creates More History
The Argentine icon opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a powerful strike from outside the penalty area.
He doubled Argentina’s advantage shortly after the hour mark before completing his first-ever World Cup hat-trick in the 76th minute following an excellent combination with Nicolás González.
The treble marked the first World Cup hat-trick of Messi’s legendary career and made him the oldest player ever to achieve the feat at football’s biggest tournament.
In doing so, he surpassed the previous record held by Cristiano Ronaldo, who was 33 when he scored a hat-trick against Spain during the 2018 World Cup.
Joins Exclusive World Cup Scoring Club
Messi’s opening goal also saw him become only the second player in history to score in five different FIFA World Cup tournaments.
The milestone places him alongside Ronaldo in an elite category reserved for the game’s greatest performers.
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From his first World Cup goal against Serbia and Montenegro in 2006 to his latest strike against Algeria twenty years later, Messi continues to leave an unprecedented mark on the tournament.
Equals All-Time World Cup Goals Record
The hat-trick carried even greater significance as it moved Messi level with German legend Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals.
The record had stood untouched for years, but Messi now has the opportunity to become the outright leading scorer in World Cup history as Argentina continue their title defence.
Given his current form, few would bet against him breaking the record outright before the tournament concludes.
Twenty Years of World Cup Greatness
Perhaps the most remarkable statistic of the night was the timespan between Messi’s first and latest World Cup goals.
His first came as a teenager in 2006. Twenty years later, he remains decisive on football’s biggest stage.
The achievement extends the longest gap between a player’s first and most recent World Cup goal, further illustrating the incredible longevity that has defined his career.
Football World Pays Tribute
Following the final whistle, tributes flooded social media as fans celebrated another historic Messi performance.
Supporters described the display as a reminder of why he remains the benchmark for greatness, while others hailed the performance as one of the finest individual displays seen at a World Cup in recent years.
The chants of “GOAT” echoed throughout the stadium as Messi left the field to a standing ovation from Argentine supporters.
Beyond Messi’s individual brilliance, the result served as a warning to the rest of the tournament.
Under Lionel Scaloni, Argentina looked sharp, confident and determined to defend the title they won in Qatar four years ago.
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With Messi still producing moments of magic and records continuing to tumble, the reigning world champions have made a powerful statement to their rivals.
One match into the tournament, and football history has already been rewritten. Once again, Lionel Messi is at the centre of it.
