Lionel Messi delivered another unforgettable chapter in his extraordinary career on Tuesday night, scoring a sensational hat-trick as Argentina opened their FIFA World Cup campaign with a 3-0 victory over Algeria.
The Argentine captain matched Miroslav Klose’s all-time men’s World Cup scoring record of 16 goals, became the oldest player ever to score a World Cup hat-trick.
Playing in his landmark 200th international appearance, Messi once again proved why he remains the heartbeat of the reigning world champions by extending his legacy as one of football’s greatest players.
Messi produced a masterclass performance before receiving a standing ovation from thousands of adoring Argentina supporters at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
The night was historic not only because of the goals, but because Messi became the first player in football history to appear in six different FIFA World Cups.
First Player Ever to Reach Six World Cups
When Messi walked onto the pitch for Argentina’s opening group-stage match, he officially became the first footballer to participate in six World Cup tournaments.
The 38-year-old surpassed a list of football legends who had each featured in five World Cups, including
– Cristiano Ronaldo,
– Antonio Carbajal,
– Andrés Guardado,
– Rafael Márquez and
– Lothar Matthäus.
It was yet another milestone in a career already overflowing with records.
Messi Opens the Scoring With Trademark Brilliance
Argentina vs Algeria match almost looked like a one sided dominance as the reigning champions asserting their authority in little time.
Messi broke the deadlock in the first half with a superb left-footed strike from outside the penalty area, sending the partisan crowd into celebration.
The goal arrived exactly 20 years after Messi made his World Cup debut for Argentina against Serbia and Montenegro on June 16, 2006; A match in which he also found the back of the net.
However, after scoring, cameras captured an emotional Messi in tears.
Following the match, he revealed the reason behind the touching moment.
“Why did I cry? It was something completely unrelated to football,” Messi said after the match.
“I went through some difficult days, but I’m grateful to the entire delegation and my teammates because they were always by my side, giving me a lot of strength to help me get through it.”
Hat-Trick Hero Equals Klose’s Legendary Record
Messi was far from finished.
The Argentine superstar struck twice more in the second half to complete the first World Cup hat-trick of his illustrious career.
His third goal brought him level with former Germany striker Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals; the highest tally in men’s World Cup history.
The achievement added another remarkable chapter to his already legendary international career.
Yet, Messi remained characteristically humble.
“It’s an honor being up there for what it means, being alongside Klose and [Brazil’s] Ronaldo, who is there also. But it doesn’t mean anything,” Messi said after the game.
“[Kylian] Mbappé is there, too, he scored twice today. At the end of the day, they are stats and nothing more.”
“It’s an honor to compete with them, but it doesn’t mean anything.”
“For me, Ronaldo, who I watched and is one of the greats, is not at the top. So, it’s just stats.”
Messi Savouring Every Moment
Argentina’s arrival in the Kansas City area has sparked a wave of excitement among football fans.
Thousands of supporters wearing Messi’s iconic No. 10 shirt filled the stadium hours before kickoff, singing songs dedicated to the captain from Rosario.
The atmosphere extended beyond the stadium as Messi Mania took over Kansas City.
Despite the endless records and accolades, Messi admitted he is simply enjoying the final stages of an extraordinary journey.
“It makes me very happy to have lived through everything that came my way,” Messi added.
“What I’m living through now is the cherry on top. I’m very happy and grateful for this wonderful group, I enjoy it so much.”
Another Record-Breaking Night
The statistics from Messi’s performance further narrated the magnitude of his achievement.
The Argentine captain:
- Equalled Miroslav Klose’s men’s World Cup record of 16 goals.
- Scored his first-ever World Cup hat-trick.
- Became the oldest player ever to score a World Cup hat-trick at 38 years and 357 days.
- Broke Cristiano Ronaldo’s previous record as the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick.
- Became the oldest player to score multiple goals in a World Cup match.
- Became only the second man to score in five different World Cups after Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Increased his World Cup goal contributions tally to 24 (16 goals and 8 assists), surpassing Pelé’s previous record of 21.
- Scored in five consecutive World Cup matches, becoming the first Argentine ever to achieve the feat.
- Recorded his fifth World Cup goal from outside the penalty area, tying Brazil legend Rivellino for the most such goals in the last six decades.
- Became the first South American male footballer and only the third man overall to reach 200 international appearances.
Argentina’s victory also moved Messi level with Klose for the most World Cup wins by a player, with 17.
Teammates Left Speechless by Another Masterclass
Messi’s teammates were once again left marveling at his brilliance.
Midfielder Rodrigo De Paul praised the veteran’s influence both on and off the field.
“It’s an advantage to have Leo because of how he handles the group and pushes it forward. Because of who he is,” Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul said.
“He doesn’t care about individual records. He prioritizes the group, and for us it’s incredible.”
Alexis Mac Allister was equally emphatic about Messi’s importance to the team.
“There are no words to describe him. If anyone thought this team was better without Leo, today it was proven that the opposite is true.”
“He is our most important player. We need to build a team around him, and we are doing it.”
Eyes on Austria as Argentina Continue Title Defence
The defending champions now turn their attention to their second group-stage match against Austria in Dallas on June 22 before concluding the group phase against Jordan.
While Argentina started their campaign in emphatic fashion, Messi warned that no match at the World Cup comes easy.
“The first matches of a World Cup are always tough, and we’re seeing that nobody’s giving anything away,” Messi said.
“It’s a competitive World Cup with well-prepared national teams.”
For one unforgettable night in Kansas City, however, the spotlight belonged entirely to Messi.
At 38 years old, with tears in his eyes and history at his feet, the Argentine legend once again reminded the football world that greatness never gets old.
