In a stunning display at the 2026 World Cup, 38-year-old Lionel Messi led Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Algeria in Kansas City. Despite questions surrounding his age and health, including a recent hamstring injury, Messi proved he remains a dominant force. He scored his first World Cup hat-trick, bringing his total World Cup goals to 16, which ties him with Germany's Miroslav Klose for the all-time record. This performance marked his 200th international appearance for Argentina and occurred exactly 20 years after his World Cup debut.
Messi's goals came in the 17th, 60th, and 76th minutes. The first was set up by Rodrigo De Paul, with Messi firing a powerful shot that Algerian goalkeeper Luca Zidane couldn't fully stop. The second came from a defensive error by Zidane, and the third was a precise strike from the edge of the box after being teed up by Nico Gonzalez. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni lauded Messi's enduring brilliance, stating, "He’s been the best for 20 years. He still pulls it off every single match. You don't have to be an Argentinian fan to admire what he’s done at age 38."
This hat-trick also made Messi the oldest player to score two goals and a hat-trick in World Cup history. Since turning 35, he has scored 10 World Cup goals, surpassing the career totals of players like Harry Kane, Diego Maradona, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Thierry Henry. His performance reaffirmed his importance to the reigning champions, coming on a day when younger stars like Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland had also made headlines, but Messi ultimately overshadowed them, proving he is still "The Man" in world football.
