Lionel Messi, at 39, has scored the first hat-trick of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a stunning range of strikes in the Argentina vs Algeria clash on Wednesday. The 8-time Ballon d'Or winner took his tally of World Cup goals to 16, levelling him with Germany's Miroslav Klose on the all time record for most goals. Lionel Messi is the oldest player to ever score a hat-trick at the World Cup.
At 39 years old, the Argentine captain rolled back the years with a stunning three-goal display, netting the first hat-trick of the tournament and once again underlining why he remains one of football's greatest-ever players.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner showcased his full repertoire, finding the net with a variety of finishes that left Algeria's defence helpless and the crowd on its feet. The Kansas City Stadium were on their feet when manager Lionel Scaloni substitued Messi out, in one of the great World Cup performances of all time.
The Argentine icon took his tally to 16 World Cup goals, drawing level with Germany legend Miroslav Klose atop the competition's all-time scoring charts.
Having already cemented his place among the sport's immortals, Messi now stands just one goal away from becoming the outright leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history.
The hat-trick further extended his remarkable World Cup legacy, having now scored in six different editions of the tournament across a career spanning two decades.
