Lionel Messi once again proved why he remains one of football’s greatest players, delivering a memorable hat-trick as Argentina opened their World Cup campaign with a 3-0 victory over Algeria in Kansas City.
The day had already featured standout performances from some of football’s biggest stars, including Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, who both scored twice. Yet it was Messi who captured the headlines with a record-breaking display that added another chapter to his remarkable career.
The 38-year-old became the first player in history to appear in six World Cups, reaching the milestone exactly 20 years after making his tournament debut as an 18-year-old in Germany. The match also marked his 200th appearance for Argentina.
Messi looked dangerous from the opening minutes and thought he had scored after just four minutes, only for an offside flag to rule out the effort. The early warning sign proved only a temporary delay.
His breakthrough came in the 18th minute when he collected the ball 25 yards from goal, shifted onto his left foot and curled a powerful strike towards the top corner. Although Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane got both hands to the effort, he could not keep it out as Argentina’s supporters erupted in celebration.
Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman summed up the moment, saying: “Messi is celebrating like it’s his first World Cup goal. With the ability he has, he never seems to age. It’s a brilliant ball into his feet and, as you’d expect, he finishes it superbly.”
Messi doubled Argentina’s lead just after the hour mark when a mistake from Zidane allowed the ball to fall kindly into his path. Showing his trademark composure, he calmly finished to become the oldest player to score twice in a World Cup match.
The hat-trick arrived in the 76th minute after substitute Nico Gonzalez set him up for his third goal of the evening. The strike also saw Messi draw level with Miroslav Klose at the top of the World Cup finals scoring chart.
After the match, Messi said: “To enjoy this with my family, with my team-mates, the ones who are always there, is a really beautiful moment.”
He added: “I’m grateful to the fans, because once again they’ve shown that Argentina is crazy about this – we packed the stadium again.”
Messi received a standing ovation when substituted, while thousands of Argentina supporters remained in the stadium long after the final whistle. On a day packed with footballing superstars, the Argentine legend stood above them all.
