News Focus
- Lionel Messi nets his first-ever hat-trick at a World Cup finals tournament
- The Argentine captain equals Germany’s Miroslav Klose with 16 career World Cup goals
- At 38 years old, Messi breaks Roger Milla’s record as the oldest player to score twice in one World Cup match
- Defending champions Argentina secure a dominant 3-0 opening win against Algeria in Group J
- The historic performance comes exactly 20 years after Messi’s World Cup debut
Lionel Messi produced a breathtaking display of skill as Argentina began their World Cup title defence with a convincing 3-0 triumph over Algeria. The 38-year-old skipper scored three times in a single finals match for the first time in his career.
The clash took place at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, where 69,045 spectators created a vibrant atmosphere. The vast majority wore Argentine colours and rose to applaud their captain when he left the pitch late in the game.
Messi opened the scoring midway through the first half thanks to a clever pass from Rodrigo De Paul. The forward controlled the ball expertly before firing past goalkeeper Luca Zidane, who is the son of French icon Zinedine Zidane.
The second goal arrived shortly after the restart. Alexis Mac Allister forced a fine save from Zidane, but Messi reacted fastest to slot home the rebound. He sealed his treble with a low, curling effort from the edge of the penalty area.
This remarkable evening etched Messi’s name deeper into World Cup history. He now shares the record for most goals scored at the finals with former German striker Miroslav Klose, with both men on 16 goals.
Messi also set a new benchmark for longevity. At 38, he became the most senior player ever to score multiple goals in a World Cup match, surpassing the previous mark held by Cameroonian legend Roger Milla.
The date carried extra poignancy for the Argentine number ten. Exactly two decades have passed since he made his World Cup debut against Serbia and Montenegro, a match in which he also found the net.
Throughout the 90 minutes, Messi received excellent support from midfielders Enzo Fernandez and De Paul. Nevertheless, the night belonged entirely to the veteran superstar, who claimed the 61st hat-trick of his professional career.