World Cup 2026: Lionel Messi scores historic hat-trick against Algeria

Lionel Messi delivered a legendary performance, scoring a historic hat-trick to lead Argentina to a dominant 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup.

The star forward found the back of the net in the 17th, 60th, and 76th minutes, marking his first-ever World Cup finals hat-trick. This remarkable achievement brings Messi's total World Cup goal tally to 16 in 27 matches, drawing him level with Germany's Miroslav Klose as the competition's all-time leading scorer.

At 39 years old, Messi continues to defy age and redefine his legacy on the global stage. His appearance in this tournament also marks his sixth World Cup participation, a new record in the history of the tournament, surpassing his previous five appearances in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022.

With this commanding win, Argentina, the reigning three-time world champions, temporarily sits atop Group J with three points. The match began at an intense pace, with two early goals, one by Messi and another by Algeria's Farès Chaïbi, being disallowed for offside by Polish referee Szymon Marciniak.