It was exactly 20 years ago that Messi scored three goals, the day he made his World Cup debut for Argentina.
Published June 17, 2026
Argentina’s Lionel Messi scored his first hat-trick in the 3-0 win over Algeria, making him the most decorated player in FIFA World Cup history and making his record sixth World Cup appearance.
The 38-year-old made history from the moment he stepped onto the pitch at Kansas City Stadium on Tuesday night, looking to play his 200th international game.
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Messi was named in Argentina’s starting XI and became the first player to appear in six World Cup matches, a record he will equal on Wednesday with Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and with Mexico’s veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa if he is sent on the pitch during the tournament.
Messi’s first goal of the night came in the 17th minute, tying Kylian Mbappe’s 14 goals at the World Cup. The Frenchman outclassed the Argentine a few hours earlier in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal in New York.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s fairy-tale start to his sixth World Cup came just short after his first goal in the opening four minutes was overturned by the referee.
Still, Messi performed his magic and scored the ball into the right corner of the net after receiving a rebound from Algerian keeper Luca Zidane, making it his 15th World Cup goal.
Messi’s decades-long exploits in the competition began in 2006, when he made his World Cup debut at the age of 18, a year that saw Zidane’s father, French legend Zinedine Zidane, reach his peak.
Whether it’s a poetic sign from the universe or a coincidence of tournament schedules, Tuesday marks exactly 20 years since Messi won his first World Cup cap for Argentina against Serbia and Montenegro.
Messi equaled Brazilian Ronaldo’s record with a hat-trick and equaled Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 World Cup goals. This was also his 120th international goal.
The Argentina captain was eventually replaced by Nico Paz and left the pitch to a standing ovation from a crowd of around 70,000 who had enjoyed a historic night of football.
Messi, who turns 39 next week, was Argentina’s youngest World Cup scorer and is now the oldest World Cup hat-trick scorer, taking the title from Ronaldo, who scored three times against Spain in 2018.
The South American legend also became the first player to score in five consecutive World Cup games, but his latest goal was only his first in the 2026 tournament.
With the defending champions starting the season in style, Messi will have the opportunity to break further records when they face Argentina and Austria in Dallas on Monday, before facing Jordan in their final group match on June 27.
If Messi successfully defends the Albiceleste’s title, he will become the first Argentine captain to achieve a feat not even the great Diego Maradona could claim.
