By DAVE SKRETTAWednesday June 17, 2026
Lionel Messi dabbed at his eyes with the hem of his white-and-blue, sweat-soaked jersey after putting Argentina ahead in its World Cup opener against Algeria, a rare burst of emotion from a player so often defined by composure. Then he struck again. And again.
In a matter of minutes, the lingering talk about a hamstring injury — and the broader debate over whether Messi could help Argentina chase a third straight World Cup title even with his 39th birthday approaching next week — was effectively silenced. His dazzling hat trick powered a 3-0 victory over Les Fennecs and lifted him into a tie with Germany’s Miroslav Klose atop the men’s World Cup career scoring chart.
“My tears after the first goal? I’ve had some tough days. It wasn’t related to football. And those feelings were because of that,” Messi said afterward, without elaborating. “I thank my teammates, the coaching staff and the delegation for helping me.”
Messi’s opening goal came early, set up by a sharp pass from Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul. He added a second from a rebound early in the second half, then completed the hat trick with a clean finish shortly before being substituted to a standing ovation from the 69,045 fans, most of them backing the three-time World Cup champions.
“At a loss for words about Leo. What can I say?” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. “He’s incredible.”
Messi has starred in the World Cup for two decades
The three-goal performance arrived on the 20-year anniversary of Messi’s World Cup debut against Serbia and Montenegro, a match in which he also scored. In the process, the Rosario native became only the second player to score in five editions of the men’s tournament.
Messi now has 16 goals across a record six World Cup appearances, and Klose’s mark appears destined to fall in the weeks ahead. The hat trick was the 61st of Messi’s career, his 11th in Argentina colors and his first on the World Cup stage.
It also extended his scoring streak to five consecutive World Cup matches.
“It makes me very happy to have lived through everything that came my way. What I’m living though now is the cherry on top,” Messi said. “I’m very happy an grateful for this wonderful group. I enjoy it so much.”
Messi’s night also eclipsed work by two other headline stars, Kylian Mbappé of France and Erling Haaland of Norway, both of whom enjoyed big performances Tuesday. Mbappé scored twice in France’s 3-1 victory over Senegal, moving into a tie for fourth on the men’s World Cup goals list with 14, while Haaland also scored twice in Norway’s 4-1 win over Iraq.
“Messi is a madman,” Haaland said in a post on Snapchat during Argentina’s game.
Shaking off injury, Messi remains Argentina’s engine
Messi had been managing a minor hamstring injury with Inter Miami in the buildup to the tournament, a concern that briefly slowed him before the World Cup began. But the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, honored as global soccer’s best player, looked sharp in a tuneup against Iceland last week, scoring on a penalty kick while playing 20 minutes.
“This is my sixth World Cup, and I still feel like I’m in good shape,” Messi said. “Fortunately, I’m doing well, and today we managed to win a tough match. It’s important to start the tournament with a victory in the first game, as that’s never easy in a World Cup.”
His appearance against Algeria marked the 200th international match of a career that began in 2005, when he was 18. Only two men have played more: Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who is scheduled for his 229th appearance Wednesday, and Bader al-Mutawa, who finished with 202 for Kuwait.
Messi and Ronaldo remain the only men to score at five World Cups.
“Class is permanent,” Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic said. “He’s fortunate to have the privilege that the entire Argentina team works for him, and supports him, and for a number of years now — decades — he’s done incredible things.”
Fans flock to Kansas City for a glimpse of the GOAT
Argentina is one of four national teams based in the Kansas City metro area, and Messi’s arrival in the Heartland nearly two weeks ago has triggered a wave of attention that has swept across the region. As it has around the world, Messi-mania quickly took hold.
On match day, thousands of supporters in No. 10 jerseys made their way to the NFL’s Chiefs’ home on the city’s outskirts, singing for their idol. At a watch party in the downtown Power & Light District, a goat joined former NFL quarterback and Fox broadcaster Jameis Winston on stage, dressed in an Argentina jersey.
The playful scene seemed almost prophetic once Messi scored about an hour later, further strengthening the case that soccer’s GOAT — the greatest of all time — is becoming less a debate than a fact with every passing game.
“It’s an advantage to have Leo because of how he handles the group and pushes it forward. Because of who he is,” De Paul said. “He doesn’t care about individual records. He prioritizes the group, and for us it’s incredible.”
