PHOTOS: REUTERS

DHAKA THURSDAY JUNE 18, 2026, ASHAR 4, 1433 BS

Messi’s magnificent hattrick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria saw him draw level with Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals.

The Argentina captain also matched another Klose milestone, equalling the German’s record of 17 World Cup victories.

At 38 years and 357 days, Messi became the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick, eclipsing Cristiano Ronaldo, who was 33 years and 130 days old when he netted a treble against Spain in 2018. It was also Messi’s first World Cup hat-trick.

The landmark performance came in Messi’s 200th appearance for Argentina and in his first World Cup match since scoring twice in the iconic 2022 final against France.

Messi became the first Argentine to score in five consecutive World Cup matches, surpassing Hernan Crespo and Guillermo Stabile, who had each scored in four straight games.

With two long-range strikes in Kansas City, Messi took his tally of World Cup goals from outside the box to six, breaking the previous record of five held by Brazil legend Rivellino. His earlier long-range World Cup goals came against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran and Nigeria in 2014, and Mexico in 2022.

Messi became the first men’s player to appear at six World Cups when he took the field against Algeria. Cristiano Ronaldo joined him later the same day against DR Congo.

Messi made his record-breaking 26th World Cup appearance in the 2022 final, surpassing Lothar Matthäus, and his 27th in Argentina’s 2026 opener against Algeria. Becoming the first player to reach 30 World Cup appearances is now within reach.

Messi has captained a side in a record 20 World Cup matches. Rafa Márquez (17) and Diego Maradona (16) are next on the list.

He holds the record for the most minutes played in World Cup history (2,404), having surpassed Paolo Maldini’s mark of 2,217 minutes in the 2022 final.

Messi is the only player to register an assist at five different World Cups. His closest challengers -- Pele, Grzegorz Lato, Diego Maradona and David Beckham -- recorded assists in three editions each.

Messi and Pele share the record for the most knockout-stage assists in World Cup history (six) and jointly hold the record for the most goal contributions (21).

Messi is the only player to score at the World Cup in his teens, 20s and 30s. Pele fell just four months short of achieving the same feat.

Messi’s first and most recent World Cup goals were scored exactly 20 years apart, another tournament record. The next-longest span belongs to Cristiano Ronaldo at 16 years and 160 days.

Since the award was introduced in 2002, Messi has won the Player of the Match accolade a record 12 times. His four awards at Brazil 2014 are also a single-edition record, shared with Wesley Sneijder from South Africa 2010.