Ogenyi Onazi on Lionel Messi After 2026 World Cup Hat-Trick: ‘He Doesn’t Talk Too Much, He Just Shows His Work’

Lionel Messi’s hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria on Wednesday, June 17, at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has drawn admiration from across the footballing world — including from those who have experienced his quality first-hand on the biggest stage.

Former Nigeria international Ogenyi Onazi is among those offering perspective grounded in personal experience. The 33-year-old ex-Super Eagles midfielder faced Messi at both the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups, and has spoken candidly about what he believes defines the 38-year-old Argentine.

“Messi, as we all know, is world-class,” Onazi said. “At his age, he is still doing wonders. This is to show the level of talent and to remind everyone that age is just a number when you have class. He has consistently shown his world-class performance any time, any day. He does not talk too much; he just shows his work on the pitch.”

Onazi’s observations carry particular weight given the history between Messi and Nigeria. At the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Messi scored a decisive brace as Argentina edged the Super Eagles 3-2 in the group stage. Four years later in Russia, he opened the scoring in a 2-1 victory that eliminated Nigeria from the tournament in 2018. Onazi was present on both occasions, making him a direct witness to Messi’s repeated capacity to influence high-stakes matches.

The Kansas City Stadium performance on June 17 added a new chapter to that story. Messi’s three goals against Algeria formally equalled Miroslav Klose’s all-time record of 16 World Cup goals — a mark the German striker set across four tournaments between 2002 and 2014. The outing also confirmed Messi as the first male player in history to appear at six FIFA World Cups, having featured at every edition from 2006 through to 2026. Additionally, he became the oldest player to score more than once in a single World Cup match.

While Onazi has long since stepped back from his footballing peak, his former opponent continues to rewrite the record books at an age when the vast majority of players have retired from the professional game entirely. Messi currently plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, having left Paris Saint-Germain in 2023.

Argentina, who enter the 2026 tournament as defending champions following their penalty shootout victory over France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final in Qatar, are bidding to become the first nation to win consecutive World Cup titles since Brazil triumphed in 1958 and 1962. A second title would also allow Messi to surpass the legacy of Diego Maradona, who led Argentina to their most recent triumph in 1986 — a feat widely regarded as the defining achievement of his career.

Next up for Argentina is a Group J fixture against Austria at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Monday, June 22.