Lionel Messi Scores First-Ever World Cup Hat-Trick as Argentina Crush Algeria 3-0 at 2026 FIFA World Cup

Lionel Messi marked the opening of Argentina’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a historic hat-trick, steering the defending champions to a commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria on 17 June 2026.

The 38-year-old captain broke the deadlock with a composed finish before adding a second goal after the interval. He completed the treble with a trademark finish, sending supporters into raptures and registering his first-ever hat-trick at a FIFA World Cup — a milestone that had eluded him across five previous tournament appearances.

Argentina entered the tournament as reigning world champions, having lifted the trophy at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The result against Algeria extended their dominance as the competition’s standard-bearers and underscored Messi’s continued influence at the highest level of international football, despite his age.

The performance also carried significant statistical weight. According to reports, the hat-trick allowed Messi to surpass Cristiano Ronaldo and become the all-time highest goalscorer in World Cup history — a record that further cements his standing in the pantheon of the sport’s greats. The 2026 edition marks Messi’s sixth World Cup appearance, a remarkable run of longevity at the elite level.

The occasion drew further historical resonance: approximately 20 years prior, a teenage Messi scored his first World Cup goal, announcing himself to a global audience. That debut strike set in motion one of football’s most decorated international careers, and his hat-trick against Algeria represents yet another chapter in that ongoing story.

Reaction across social media was swift and widespread. Fans, pundits, and former players took to various platforms to mark the occasion, with tributes pouring in from around the world. “First game, first hat trick. Leo Messi. Thank you, Lord, for blessing us with this man. What a player!” wrote one supporter. Another posted: “The FIFA World Cup just started today. Messi with a HAT-TRICK.” A further post read simply: “The greatest to ever grace a football pitch.”

Some responses carried a pointed edge directed at sceptics who had questioned whether Messi could still perform at this level. “We told them that the World Cup just started today,” one user wrote, in a sentiment echoed widely across platforms.

The match forms part of a broader opening round of fixtures at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico — the first edition to feature 48 teams. Algeria, competing in one of the tournament’s most high-profile group stage matchups, were unable to contain Messi or Argentina’s attacking intent across 90 minutes.

Argentina’s next fixtures will determine whether they can maintain this level of performance as the group stage progresses. For Messi, the result raises questions about just how far he and his teammates can go as they bid to defend their title on the expanded global stage.