Messi makes history, nets hat trick for Argentina in 3-0 World Cup win vs. Algeria

Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald on Jun 16, 2026

Published in Soccer

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It didn’t take long for Lionel Messi, a week shy of his 39th birthday and the only man to play in six World Cups, to prove he still lives up to the hype and can create magic on the sport’s biggest stage.

The Inter Miami captain scored a hat trick for defending World Cup champion Argentina in a 3-0 rout over Algeria in their tournament opener.

With the three goals, he tied Germany’s Miroslav Klose with 16 goals for the all-time World Cup scoring record. It was Messi’s first hat trick in a World Cup, and it came 20 years to the day since he scored his first World Cup goal at age 18.

On Tuesday night, a few minutes after having an early goal nullified by an offside flag, Messi scored a sublime goal in the 17th minute to give Argentina the lead in their opening match at an Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.

He was just getting started.

He doubled the lead at the 60-minute mark and completed the hat trick in the 76th minute, delighting the crowd of 69,000.

Messi’s Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul delivered the assist on the opening goal with a perfectly paced pass right up the middle of the field that sliced through the Algerian midfield and defensive lines.

Messi then pushed it up and launched an unstoppable left-footed arcing shot that skimmed the gloves of Algeria goalkeeper Luca (son of Zinedine) Zidane and into the top right corner. He broke into a huge smile, and extended his arms in jubilation.

The stadium, filled almost entirely with Argentina fans, most of them in Messi No. 10 jerseys, erupted as their hero scored in his fifth World Cup in a row. It was his 14th World Cup goal and his 118th goal for the national team in 200 appearances.

His hat trick came 20 years after his first World Cup goal in his debut on June 16, 2006, at age 18.

He came on as a 74th-minute substitute for Maxi Rodríguez in that game, a 6-0 win over Serbia and Montenegro. Messi scored the final goal of the match in the 88th minute, becoming the youngest Argentine player ever to score in a World Cup.

There was some question whether Messi would start Tuesday’s game, as he was coming off a hamstring injury he suffered during Inter Miami’s May 24 win over the Philadelphia Union. But he was clearly recovered, dialed in and enjoying the night from the moment he emerged from tunnel to the deafening roar of the crowd.

“MLS connection right off the bat for Argentina, Rodrigo De Paul breaking lines right to Messi, and he just smacks it,” said Fox analyst Alexi Lalas.

“He is a nightmare for his opponents,” added Fox commentator Clarence Seedorf.

Messi was subbed off in the 80th minute and the crowd gave him a rousing ovation.

Argentina’s passionate fans had flooded Kansas City in the days leading up to the game, as the team has its World Cup base camp there. They packed local parks, streets and shopping areas with their “banderazos” (pep rallies) as light blue and white replaced the Chiefs’ red and gold as the colors of choice.

Once Tuesday’s game began, they serenaded Messi and his teammates with “Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole, Ola, Cada Dia Te Quiero Mas” (Every Day I Love You More). The love only grew with each of Messi’s brilliant strikes.