Lionel Messi Scores Hat Trick, Matches All-Time World Cup Record in Opening Win

The soccer legend stunned on Tuesday night in Argentina’s opener against Algeria.

Lionel Messi exited the pitch to a standing ovation. | Tom Weller/Picture Alliance/Getty Images

Tuesday was always going to be a monumental affair. After all, it marked the start of Argentina’s fierce title defense, opening 2026 World Cup play against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

Nevertheless, the match, which resulted in a 3–0 win for the South American side, took on even more significance simply when Messi stepped onto the pitch and had left an unforgettable legacy by the time he exited 80 minutes later.

The Argentinian star was substituted off after a stunning hat trick, earning a standing ovation as the entire crowd literally bowed down to him.

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Records Upon Records Upon Records

Lionel Messi started the World Cup in style. | Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images

Messi started the game at right forward and, upon the opening whistle, became the first player to ever play in six men’s World Cups. Cristiano Ronaldo will likely join him at the summit on Wednesday during Portugal’s opener against the D.R. Congo, both legends having competed on soccer’s grandest stage since 2006 Germany. Nevertheless, Messi claims the right to say he was the first.

The match also marked Messi’s 200th for La Albiceleste, extending his all-time appearances record. Former Argentinian teammate and Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano is in a distant second with 147 total caps, retiring from international play in 2018. Messi joins an elite group of just Ronaldo (228) and Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa (202) of those who have reached the 200th mark for their respective nations. The appearance also extended Messi’s World Cup appearances record to 27 games.

As if Messi’s simple appearance on the pitch wasn’t significant enough, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner capped the moment with his first goal in the 17th minute, to give Argentina a 1–0 edge. Messi, facing his midfield teammates, received the ball on the half-turn from the center of the pitch before barreling towards the goal. Algeria’s center backs, Aïssa Mandi and Ramy Bensebaini, made their reluctance to step to the star abundantly clear, giving Messi the perfect opportunity to fire a left-footed shot from outside the box into the upper right-hand corner of the net, past the desperate fingertips of goalkeeper Luca Zidane. With that finish, Messi became the second man ever to score a goal in five total World Cups, alongside Ronaldo. It also signified Messi’s fifth goal from outside of the box at the World Cup, matching the most of any player from the difficult angle since1966 (Rivellino), according to Opta.

The records just kept coming. That first goal also meant Messi secured a fifth-consecutive World Cup match with a goal, one shy of the record six-consecutive, achieved just twice and not in this century, by Just Fontaine in 1958 and Jairzinho in 1970.

Oh, and then Messi scored again, because once wasn’t enough. He capitalized on the goalkeeper’s deflected ball in the 60th minute, punishing Algeria with a blistering strike. Messi added a third shortly after because his first two finishes were evidently in need of a friend. He fired a left-footed shot just inside the top of the box in the 77th minute.

With the hat trick—Messi’s first-ever on the World Cup stage—his World Cup goals total increased to 16, matching the tournament record set by Germany’s Miroslav Klose. Kylian Mbappé scored a brace in France’s opener on Tuesday, extending his goals amount to 14. The two soccer legends will certainly be in a ferocious battle for the record this summer, but for now, the crown belongs to Messi and Klose.

Just days away from his 39th birthday, Messi is showing absolutely no sign of slowing down and became the oldest hat-trick scorer in World Cup history. He continues to be the talisman of the South American powerhouse and will likely make a bid for his first-ever World Cup Golden Boot.

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What’s Next for Messi, Argentina?

Argentina return to action on Monday. | Tom Weller/Picture Alliance/Getty Images

Tuesday night’s dominant win bumped Argentina back into first in FIFA’s World Rankings, entering the match in second behind France. The South Americans will be riding high when they return to action on Monday, facing Austria at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the second group stage match. Messi will be eager to score at least once in order to tie the long-standing record for six-consecutive World Cup matches with a goal.

Argentina concludes Group J with a bout against World Cup debutant Jordan on June 27, also at AT&T Stadium.

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