Lionel Messi’s night against Algeria (3-0) will go down as one of the most memorable of his already legendary career. The Argentina captain scored a hat-trick in his side’s opening match at the 2026 World Cup, breaking records while revealing he had been through a very difficult personal period.
At 38 years and 357 days old, Messi became the oldest player in history to score multiple goals in a single World Cup match. He surpassed Roger Milla, whose record had stood since the 1990 World Cup.
A Historic Night Marked by Emotion
That was not all. By starting against Algeria, the Argentine star also became the first player in history to take part in six World Cups: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026. It is an exceptional achievement that further confirms his extraordinary longevity at the highest level.
Thanks to his hat-trick, Messi also took his tally to 120 goals in 200 appearances and joined Miroslav Klose at the top of the all-time World Cup scoring chart. It was another milestone for a player celebrating his 200th cap for Argentina, a mark previously reached at international level only by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi cried after scoring his goal…the last dance is real guys💔😭 pic.twitter.com/GHoX2f8jcx
— zishaaan21 (@ZISH_AN_) June 17, 2026
Leo Messi crying after his goal 🥹🥹
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) June 17, 2026
After the match, the emotion was clear. “I cried after the first goal. It was something completely unrelated to football. I went through some difficult days,” Messi admitted, before thanking his teammates: “I am grateful to the whole delegation and my teammates because they were always by my side, giving me a lot of strength.” Between records, tears and a historic hat-trick, Messi once again wrote another page of legend. And at 38, the Argentine still seems far from finished with the World Cup.
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