Messi scores hat-trick on record sixth World Cup

KANSAS CITY — Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Argentina opened their World Cup title defence with a 3-0 victory over Algeria, marking his record sixth appearance at the tournament on a night that rewrote the sport's history books.

The match, played at Kansas City Stadium in front of nearly 70,000 spectators, fell exactly 20 years to the day after Messi's World Cup debut against Serbia and Montenegro on 16 June 2006. Two decades on, the 38-year-old showed he remains football's most compelling figure, striking three times to move level with Miroslav Klose's all-time record of 16 World Cup goals, Al Jazeera reported. This is part of Kwacha News's continuing sport and entertainment coverage.

The victory was emphatic, but it was the weight of the records that made the night unforgettable. Messi became the first player to appear at six World Cups, the oldest hat-trick scorer in World Cup history — surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo's 2018 mark — and the first to score in five consecutive World Cup tournaments. His 200th international cap, his 120th international goal, and his 15th and 16th World Cup goals arrived in a single evening.

How the match unfolded

Argentina started with intent and thought they had an early lead when Messi finished in the fourth minute, only for the goal to be disallowed. The setback barely slowed the champions. In the ninth minute, Algeria's Fares Chaibi had a goal chalked off for offside, a brief moment of hope for the north African side before Argentina reasserted control.

Messi's opening goal arrived in the 17th minute, a composed finish that settled Argentine nerves and set the pattern for the evening. Algeria's goalkeeper Luca Zidane, son of the legendary Zinedine Zidane, kept the scoreline respectable through the first half with a string of interventions, but the tide was relentless.

The second goal came on the hour mark. Messi pounced on a rebound after Zidane could only parry an initial effort, stroking the ball into the net with the calm of a man who had done it hundreds of times before — because he had. At 2-0, the contest was effectively over as a competition and had become a ceremony.

Messi completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute with a clinical finish that drew Kansas City Stadium to its feet. Three minutes later, in the 79th minute, he was substituted to a standing ovation from the near-capacity crowd — Argentine and neutral alike. The ovation lasted long after he had taken his seat on the bench, a sustained acknowledgement of what the audience understood they had witnessed.

Records rewritten in a single night

The statistics from one Group J match read like a career summary. Messi's three goals took his World Cup tally to 16, matching Klose's all-time record and making it almost certain he will claim it outright before the tournament ends. He is now the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick at 38, eclipsing the record Ronaldo set against Spain in Russia in 2018. He is the first man to score in five different World Cup editions, having found the net in 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022 and now 2026.

The cap itself was historic. No male footballer had previously appeared at six World Cups. The tournament debut in Germany in 2006, where a teenage Messi scored against Serbia and Montenegro, now sits two decades in the past, yet the player at the other end of that timeline is still the one opponents fear most.

Messi rewrote the history books at his record sixth World Cup, becoming the oldest hat-trick scorer in tournament history and drawing level with Miroslav Klose's all-time record of 16 goals.

— Al Jazeera, <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/6/17/lionel-messi-rewrites-history-books-at-record-sixth-world-cup">17 June 2026</a>

His 120th international goal and 200th international appearance, both reached on the same evening, underline the longevity of a career that has outlasted tactical eras, managerial cycles and entire generations of opponents.

Algeria and the African challenge

For Algeria, the scoreline was harsh but the gulf was real. The Desert Foxes came into the tournament as one of Africa's nine representatives at the expanded 48-team World Cup, carrying the hopes of a footballing nation that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019 and has a passionate domestic following.

Chaibi's disallowed goal in the ninth minute offered a glimpse of what Algeria can do going forward, but defending against the reigning champions exposed the areas where the squad lacks depth. Luca Zidane's performance in goal — brave despite the three conceded — was one of the few positives to extract from a difficult night.

The result matters for African football's narrative at this World Cup. Algeria will need to respond in their remaining group matches, and the wider continent will be watching. Africa's expanded representation in 2026 was meant to be a step forward; early results like this, alongside Cape Verde's extraordinary draw against Spain, paint a mixed picture. Cape Verde showed that African sides can frustrate the best; Algeria's task now is to show they can recover from the worst.

For Zambian football, watching from the outside after the Chipolopolo failed to qualify, these early African results carry weight. They set the benchmarks that the next generation of Zambian players and coaches will measure themselves against. A continent that wants more World Cup places must show it can compete when it gets them.

A day of World Cup stars

Messi was not the only global name to deliver on 16 June. Kylian Mbappé scored twice as France beat Senegal, while Erling Haaland struck a brace as Norway defeated Iraq. The opening days of the 2026 World Cup are producing the kind of individual displays that justify the expanded format, drawing eyes from every continent.

Argentina's next match is against Austria on Monday, a fixture that could see Messi surpass Klose's record outright if the Argentine stays in the starting line-up. After the performance in Kansas City, there is no reason to suppose otherwise. Readers following the tournament's evolving landscape can consult our 2026 World Cup rule changes explainer for a guide to the format that is shaping these group stages.

Whether Messi can lead Argentina to a second consecutive World Cup title is the question that will define the coming weeks. On the evidence of one night in Missouri, the will and the ability remain. The body may be 38, but the brain, the feet and the appetite are unchanged.

What comes next

Argentina sit top of Group J after the opening round and will expect to confirm their place in the knockout stages against Austria. For Messi, the equation is straightforward: one more goal to break Klose's record and stake an unarguable claim as the tournament's all-time leading scorer.

For Algeria, the task is to recover, regroup and take points from their remaining group fixtures. The expanded format offers a lifeline — third-placed teams can still advance — but the Desert Foxes will need to improve markedly on both sides of the ball. Their coaching staff will spend the days ahead studying where the defensive organisation broke down against Messi and whether the attacking promise shown by Chaibi can be turned into goals.

And for the neutral, the 2026 World Cup already has its defining image: Messi, 38, walking off the pitch in Kansas City to a standing ovation, a hat-trick ball under his arm, record books rewritten. Whether he lifts the trophy again or not, the sixth World Cup delivered the kind of evening that transcends results and enters the realm of sporting memory.

Frequently Asked Questions

These are the questions readers are asking about Messi's hat-trick against Algeria. Short answers follow, drawn from match reporting.

How many World Cups has Messi played in?

The answer is six — 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026. He is the first male footballer to appear at six World Cup tournaments, a record set when he took the pitch against Algeria on 16 June 2026 in Kansas City.

How many World Cup goals does Messi have?

Simply put, Messi now has 16 World Cup goals after his hat-trick against Algeria, drawing level with Miroslav Klose's all-time record. He scored his 14th in 2022 and added three more in a single match in 2026.

What records did Messi break against Algeria?

In short, Messi became the oldest World Cup hat-trick scorer (age 38, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo's 2018 record), the first player at six World Cups, the first to score in five consecutive World Cup tournaments, and reached his 120th international goal on his 200th cap — all in one evening.

What was the Argentina versus Algeria score?

The answer is Argentina 3, Algeria 0. Messi scored in the 17th, 60th and 76th minutes in a Group J match at Kansas City Stadium on 16 June 2026, before being substituted to a standing ovation in the 79th minute.

When is Argentina's next World Cup match?

Simply put, Argentina play Austria on Monday in their second Group J fixture. A win would almost certainly confirm Argentina's place in the knockout stages and could see Messi surpass Klose's all-time World Cup goals record.

Sources

Al Jazeera: Lionel Messi rewrites history books at record sixth World Cup. Al Jazeera: Messi fires Argentina to win against Algeria in World Cup defence opener. Kwacha News coverage: Cape Verde hold Spain in historic World Cup debut and 2026 World Cup rule changes explainer.