Argentina legend Lionel Messi scored his maiden World Cup hat-trick vs Algeria in their FIFA World Cup 2026 game in Kansas City on Tuesday.
Updated: June 17, 2026, 10:07 AM IST
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Argentina’s Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring against Algeria in the FIFA World Cup 2026 match in Kansas City. (Photo: IANS)
Argentina vs Algeria FIFA World Cup 2026: Lionel Messi is definitely ageing like ‘fine wine’. The Argentina football legend lived up to the adage with a sublime hat-trick vs Algeria in their Group J match of FIFA World Cup 2026 at the Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Tuesday. Playing in his 200th international match for Argentina, Messi struck in the 17th, 60th and 76th minute to lead a 3-0 rout and also score his first-ever World Cup hat-trick in his 27th game in the tournament.
Messi scored his first goal in the opening minutes thanks to a great pass from his Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, the second off a brilliant rebound early in the second half, and the third with a cracking strike moments before being subbed out after the defending champions sensational win.
“At a loss for words about Leo. What can I say?” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said after the match. “He’s incredible.”
His incredible maiden World Cup hat-trick came 20 years from the day that Messi made his World Cup debut in a match against Serbia and Montenegro — he scored in that one, too. He became only the second player to score in five editions of the tournament.
WATCH Lionel Messi score against Algeria HERE…
⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️ MESSI SCORING A BRAKE – 1 goal away from Klose’s record! pic.twitter.com/pDpurNlLed
— Stason (@Stasonco) June 17, 2026
Messi now has 16 goals in his six World Cup appearances, and it seems inevitable that former Germany striker Miroslav Klose’s record will tumble in the coming weeks. The hat-trick was the 61st of Messi’s career and his 11th while playing for the ‘La Albiceleste’.
The former Barcelona star also smashed his long-term rival Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of being the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick. Messi at at 38 years and 357 days old went past Ronaldo, who had scored a trio of World Cup goals at the age of 33.
It also was the fifth straight World Cup game in which Messi has scored. “It makes me very happy to have lived through everything that came my way. What I’m living though now is the cherry on top. I’m very happy an grateful for this wonderful group. I enjoy it so much,” Messi was quoted as saying by AP news agency.
Messi’s appearance against Algeria was the 200th of his international career, which began in 2005 at age of 18. The only players with more are Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who will play his 229th on Wednesday, and Bader al-Mutawa, who played in 202 for Kuwait. Messi and Ronaldo are the only players to have scored in five World Cups.
Here’s a list of records broken by Lionel Messi vs Algeria on Monday…
- Oldest player to score World Cup hat-trick: Lionel Messi at the age of 38 years and 357 days old, became the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo’s record, who has done it at the age of33.
- Youngest and oldest Argentina footballer to score a World Cup goal: Lionel Messi became the oldest and youngest to score for Argentina in the World Cup tournament. He had scored on his debut in 2006 against Serbia and Montenegro as an 18-year-old as well.
- Most goals in FIFA World Cup: Lionel Messi’s World Cup tally stands at 16 goals, bringing him level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose for most goals in the tournament. Messi has played in 27 matches in the World Cup for Argentina.
- Second player to score in five different World Cup tournaments: Lionel Messi became the 2nd player to score in five World Cups, after Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi has scored in 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026.
- First to play in six World Cups: Lionel Messi also became the first-ever player to play in six World Cups. He has featured in all tournaments starting from 2006. Cristiano Ronaldo will equal that record by playing against DR Congo on Wednesday.
- 3rd player to play in 200 international matches: Lionel Messi’s 200th match for Argentina came against Algeria in FIFA World Cup 2026. Only Cristiano Ronaldo (228) and Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa (202) have more matches to their name.
(How to watch and stream FIFA World Cup 2026 in India: Multiple group-stage matches that will take place simultaneously will be aired across Zee5 app and website. Link: https://www.zee5.com/)
