Lionel Messi has once again etched his name into football history. In Argentina’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Algeria, the 38-year-old captain delivered a spectacular hat-trick to lead his team to a commanding 3-0 victory.
This performance brought his total career World Cup goal tally to 16, officially tying him with German legend Miroslav Klose for the most goals in tournament history.
It was a milestone evening at the Kansas City Stadium, as Messi also celebrated his 200th appearance for Argentina while becoming the first player to even compete in six different World Cup tournaments.
Reflecting on the challenging nature of opening matches, Messi remained humble despite his historic achievement, stating:
“Fortunately, I’m feeling well. We were lucky to win a difficult game. It’s important to start by winning the first game. It’s never easy to play the first game at a World Cup.”
His head coach, Lionel Scaloni, was full for the veteran star’s enduring brilliance: “I have no words, no words. Anything I say would be unnecessary. He’s been doing this for 20 years. I think soccer people want to see him not just Argentines.”
