Lionel Messi made history with his first-ever World Cup hat-trick, becoming both the first player to feature in six World Cups and the oldest to score multiple goals in a single match, surpassing a 36-year-old record.
🚨📲 Erling Haaland on Snapchat: “Messi is a madman”. 👑 pic.twitter.com/NyKUB1vIw6
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 17, 2026
Most goals scored at World Cups
- 16 – Miroslav Klose (Germany), Lionel Messi (Argentina)
- 15 – Ronaldo (Brazil)
- 14 – Gerd Muller (West Germany), Kylian Mbappe (France).
MESSI REWRITES HISTORY — AGAIN
Some nights, Lionel Messi doesn’t just play football. He rewrites the record books.
The Argentina captain made history twice over in his side’s World Cup opener, scoring his first-ever World Cup hat-trick while becoming, at 38 years and 357 days old, the oldest player to score multiple goals in a single FIFA World Cup match — surpassing Roger Milla’s 36-year-old record from 1990, per Sports Illustrated.
He also became the first player in history to appear in six separate World Cups.
❤️🩹 Leo Messi: “I cried after the first goal, yes… but it was something completely unrelated to football”.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 17, 2026
“I went through some difficult days, but I’m grateful to the entire delegation and my teammates because they were always by my side, giving me a lot of strength”. pic.twitter.com/HMJXmnvDtl
The Inter Miami star was at the heart of everything Argentina produced — composed, intelligent, ruthless. Each goal told a different story: the first settled the nerves, the second seized control, and the third sent the stadium into raptures.
The hat-trick also saw Messi equal a long-standing World Cup record, placing him alongside the tournament’s all-time greats and reaffirming Argentina’s status among the favourites to defend the trophy they lifted in Qatar.
For manager Lionel Scaloni, it was the perfect start. For opponents watching from afar, it was a warning. And for football fans everywhere, it was yet another reminder that Messi’s magic hasn’t faded one bit.
Every touch carried purpose. Every Argentina move seemed to run through him. At an age when most players have long retired, Messi continues delivering performances worthy of football’s biggest stage.
The World Cup has always been his theatre. Tonight, he proved he’s still the headline act.
MESSI SCORES HIS FIRST CAREER FIFA WORLD CUP HAT TRICK 🇦🇷
SCENES IN KANSAS CITY pic.twitter.com/HqeRkLGRay
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 17, 2026
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