Twenty years after making his FIFA World Cup debut, Lionel Messi once again reminded the football world why he remains Argentina’s heartbeat.
And in classic Messi fashion, he continued to break records
without breaking a sweat.
The Argentina captain produced a sensational hat-trick as the defending champions opened their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria in Kansas City on Tuesday night.
More significantly, the three-goal haul took Messi to 16 World Cup goals, drawing him level with Germany legend Miroslav Klose atop the tournament’s all-time scoring charts.
Messi began the day on 13 World Cup goals and found himself trailing France star Kylian Mbappe, who had scored twice against Senegal earlier on Tuesday to move ahead.
By the end of the night, however, the Argentine icon had reclaimed the spotlight.
Breaking Down Leo’s Hattrick
Argentina nearly struck inside five minutes when Messi combined neatly with Lautaro Martínez before finishing clinically, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Algeria also had an effort chalked off in a frantic opening spell.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 17th minute.
Collecting possession in midfield, Messi surged forward before unleashing a trademark left-footed rocket from distance that flew beyond Luca Zidane and into the corner. It was vintage Messi and a reminder that, even at 39, he remains football’s ultimate difference-maker.
Argentina dominated possession and controlled the tempo throughout the first half, taking their 1-0 advantage into the break.
Messi doubled the lead in the 60th minute. Alexis Mac Allister’s effort was spilled by Zidane, and the Argentine captain reacted quickest to tap home from close range.
The hat-trick arrived in the 76th minute and fittingly showcased Messi’s brilliance once more. Receiving the ball outside the area, he bent a precise strike into the bottom corner to complete his first-ever World Cup hat-trick and draw level with Klose’s record.
Catching Up To His Eternal Rival Too?
The treble also took Messi’s international tally to 120 goals, bringing him closer to Cristiano Ronaldo’s all-time international record of 143.
Messi’s World Cup goals now span five different tournaments — one in 2006, four in 2014, one in 2018, seven in 2022 and three already in 2026.
