Messi Equals World Cup All-Time Goals Record with Hat-Trick in Argentina Victory

Lionel Messi etched his name deeper into World Cup folklore on Monday night, scoring a hat-trick as defending champions Argentina opened their 2026 campaign with a commanding victory over Algeria in Kansas City. The treble moved the 38-year-old level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup finals goals, making him the joint all-time leading scorer in the tournament’s history.

Making his 200th appearance for his country, a milestone in itself, Messi produced a performance that defied both his age and the weight of expectation. His opening goal came in the 17th minute, a curling strike that beat Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane, son of the legendary Zinedine. A second followed in the 61st minute after Zidane spilled a ball into Messi’s path, and a thunderous effort from the edge of the area in the 76th minute sealed the hat-trick and the record.

The achievement is remarkable not only for the numbers involved but for the context. Just a week shy of his 39th birthday, Messi became the oldest player ever to score a hat-trick at a World Cup, surpassing another record previously held by his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo. He is also the first player in history to feature in six World Cup tournaments.

Argentina’s victory carried historical significance of its own. The Albiceleste had never previously won their opening match as defending champions, having lost both their 1982 and 1990 openers. Monday’s result sets them up comfortably in Group J, with Austria and Jordan their remaining opponents as they chase the ambition of becoming only the third nation, after Italy and Brazil, to successfully defend the World Cup trophy.

The match was not without controversy. Messi was fortunate to escape punishment for a reckless challenge on Algeria’s Aissa Mandi midway through the first half, an incident that could have altered the complexion of the game entirely. Both sides also had goals disallowed in the opening quarter of an hour, adding to the drama of an already electric occasion.

For the broader 2026 tournament, which is being hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, Messi’s performance sets an early benchmark. The World Cup has already produced its share of headlines, from Erling Haaland’s brace on his World Cup debut for Norway to the unfolding storylines across Africa and beyond. But it is Messi who, once again, commands the spotlight.

With Klose’s record now levelled rather than broken, anticipation will build around whether Messi can surpass the German in Argentina’s remaining group fixtures. At his current trajectory, and with the form he showed against Algeria, few would bet against it. For a player who has spent two decades redefining what is possible on a football pitch, one more record seems less like an ambition and more like an inevitability.

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