Twenty years ago Lionel Messi scored his first World Cup goal. Today, on the same day, he scored three goals for Argentina. A few days before his 39th birthday, the player who started as a teenager has made an extraordinary achievement, showing that some stories don’t follow logic, they only make sense when Messi makes them happen.
What Messi Achieved
Lionel Messi scored his first World Cup hat-trick in Argentina’s opening match at the 2026 World Cup against Algeria in Kansas City. He completed the hat-trick with a powerful left-foot shot from outside the box in the 76th minute that went into the bottom left corner. Now, Messi has 16 World Cup goals, tying Miroslav Klose’s record for the most goals in men’s World Cup history.
Lionel Messi is the youngest player from Argentina to score in a World Cup he was 18 years and 358 days old when he scored in 2006. He is also Argentina’s oldest World Cup scorer he was 38 years and 357 days old when he scored in 2026.
Match Summary
Argentina defeated Algeria 3-0 in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group J match on June 17, 2026, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Lionel Messi scored a outstanding hat-trick, becoming the star of the match.
Messi’s first goal came after 17 minutes when he dribbled up with Rodrigo de Paul and scored a 20-yard effort into the roof of the net, his second arrived in the 47th minute (early second half), and his third in the 76th minute after collecting Nicolas Gonzalez’s pass, equaled Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 World Cup goals.
Also Read: 10 Best Apps to Watch FIFA World Cup 2026 Live Streaming Free
Algeria had a disallowed goal from Fares Chaibi in the 8th minute due to offside, and the Desert Warriors couldn’t create any other significant chances despite their return to the World Cup. Messi was substituted off shortly after his third goal to a standing ovation from the crowd as Argentina comfortably saw out the win.
At almost 39, Messi shows that some things can’t be explained, his long career, how great he is, and what he did on this exact day make it a historic football moment.