Messi’s Hat-Trick at 38: A Record Equalled and a Legacy Reaffirmed
Lionel Messi delivered one of the most remarkable individual performances of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 16, scoring a hat-trick to guide Argentina to a commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria in a Group J opener. The result not only confirmed Argentina’s status as formidable title defenders but also placed Messi alone in a category of footballers that transcends generation and era.
With the three goals, Messi drew level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose, bringing his total World Cup tally to 16 goals. The record had stood for over a decade, and its equalling came with the additional distinction of Messi becoming the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick. He achieved this at the age of 38, with his 39th birthday approaching later this month.
The occasion carried further historical weight. The match marked Messi’s 200th cap for Argentina, and he became the first player in history to compete at six FIFA World Cups. Coinciding with all of this, the performance came exactly two decades after he scored his first ever World Cup goal, making the symmetry almost difficult to believe.
The match itself unfolded with early drama. Messi appeared to give Argentina a dream start within the opening five minutes, but the effort was ruled out for offside. The opener he did find arrived in the 17th minute, when Rodrigo De Paul played a perfectly weighted through ball between Algeria’s defensive line, and Messi drove forward before firing a long-range strike that glanced off goalkeeper Luca Zidane’s fingertips and into the top corner. Luca Zidane is the son of French football legend Zinedine Zidane, who was present in the stands.
The second goal came in the 60th minute when Alexis Mac Allister’s powerful effort from distance was fumbled by the keeper, with the ball falling to Messi who guided it into the net. The hat-trick was completed in the 76th minute, again with a forceful strike, this time set up by substitute Nico Gonzalez. Between the two, Messi had come close to finishing sooner, only to be denied by a sharp save from Zidane.
The victory carried particular significance given the questions that had surrounded Argentina heading into the tournament. The team had gone years without facing European opposition before a 3-0 friendly win over Iceland last week, their first match against a European side since the 2022 World Cup. Doubts had also lingered about form and consistency, informed by the memory of their past two World Cup campaigns beginning with a shock defeat to Saudi Arabia in 2022 and a frustrating draw with Iceland four years prior. Against Algeria, those concerns were answered decisively with a composed and authoritative display.
Argentina are aiming to become the first men’s team to retain the World Cup since Brazil achieved the feat in 1962. Based on what Messi and his teammates produced, that ambition remains well within reach.
