Messi’s Masterclass:38-Year-Old Old Nets First World Cup Hat-Trick As Argentina Beat Algeria 3-0.

Messi’s Masterclass: 38-Year-Old Nets First World Cup Hat-Trick as Argentina Beat Algeria 3-0

Lionel Messi turned back the clock and wrote more history as Argentina began their title defense with a commanding 3-0 win over Algeria at Kansas City Stadium. At 38 years and 357 days, Messi scored his first ever World Cup hat-trick, matching Miroslav Klose’s all-time tournament record of 16 goals. Playing on his 200th Argentina appearance and in his sixth World Cup — a first for any player — Messi reminded the world why he’s still the main character of this tournament, exactly 20 years after his debut in 2006.

The champions started fast but were denied early when Messi had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside. Algeria showed fight too, with Fares Chaibi also seeing an effort chalked off, and Riyad Mahrez on the bench watching his side test Argentina’s backline. But once Messi found his rhythm, the game belonged to him. In the 17th minute he opened the scoring with a trademark strike, curling a sumptuous shot into the top-right corner from the edge of the box after Rodrigo De Paul picked him out with a perfect pass.

The second half was vintage Messi. On the hour mark he doubled Argentina’s lead with a poacher’s finish, reacting quickest after Luca Zidane could only parry Alexis Mac Allister’s low shot. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner wasn’t finished. In the 76th minute he capped his masterpiece with a classic Messi goal: a one-two with Nico González, then a curled finish into the bottom-left corner that left Zidane helpless. That third goal sealed his first World Cup hat-trick and tied Klose’s record. Earlier in the day Kylian Mbappé had moved past Messi in the all-time World Cup scoring chart, but Messi answered with authority.

What they said after the match

🎙 Lionel Scaloni was lost for words about his captain: “I’m speechless about Leo. What am I going to say? It’s incredible. He’s been doing it for 20 years. Everyone in football wants to see him and enjoys him.”
The Argentina coach also praised the team’s mentality: “You don’t give up on a single ball, that’s our style. That’s what needs to be highlighted.” He admitted the opener was always going to be tough: “The first match is always complicated. We had a setback in the last World Cup and we needed to have a good debut today. We knew we were going to suffer, that it was a team that played well. They did an enormous job, it was a very difficult match.”

🎙 Lionel Messi stayed humble despite the historic night: “I like playing football, it’s been my passion since I was little. When I feel good I give my maximum.” On the difficulty of World Cup openers he added: “The first World Cup matches are always difficult, and we’re seeing that nobody gives anything away, it’s a competitive World Cup with well-prepared teams.” After scoring his first hat-trick on the world’s biggest stage, emotion took over: “They were complicated days and the emotion was because of that, I thank my teammates, the coaching staff and the delegation.”

This was more than just goals. Messi led Argentina with six shots and created two chances, more than anyone on the pitch. He became the oldest player ever to score a World Cup hat-trick, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo’s record set in 2018. He also became the first Argentine to score in five consecutive World Cup matches, surpassing Hernán Crespo and Guillermo Stábile. Ten of Argentina’s starters were from the 2022 winning squad, and Scaloni’s team looked like champions again — clinical, composed, and still built around their No. 10.

Argentina sent a clear message to Group J rivals: the crown isn’t theirs for the taking. Algeria competed and showed moments of danger, but they had no answer for Messi. With one more goal Messi will stand alone as the World Cup’s all-time top scorer. After years of struggling to find his best form on this stage, the 38-year-old is now scoring goals after turning 35. If this is how Argentina’s defense begins, the rest of the tournament should be worried.

Full-Time: Argentina 3-0 Algeria
Scorers: Messi 17’, 60’, 76’