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, 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.
2 – At 38 years, 357 days old, Lionel Messi is the oldest player to score multiple goals in a FIFA World Cup match, surpassing Roger Milla (38y 34d) in 1990.
Eternal. pic.twitter.com/45K7TFiBu9
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 17, 2026
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.
16 – Lionel Messi logra su hat-trick ante Argelia e iguala a Miroslav Klose como el jugador con más goles en Copas del Mundo.
Inigualable. pic.twitter.com/bJ9PhDwlsG
— OptaJavier (@OptaJavier) June 17, 2026
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.