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Tuesday was a day full of superstars at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, one player continued to show why he is the greatest of all time.
Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria on Tuesday night, scoring his first hat-trick in a World Cup match. His three goals came hours after France’s Kylian Mbappé and Norway’s Erling Haaland each scored two goals in their respective matches earlier in the day, with Messi once again outperforming his main competition.
The three goals also put Messi at the top of the World Cup record books. He now has 16 career World Cup goals, putting him in first place for most in history.
So, as Messi continues to make history at the age of 38, here’s a look at his latest memorable performance in numbers.
16: Messi’s World Cup goals are tied for the most in history. Only former German star Miroslav Klose has as many World Cup goals with 16, while former Brazilian star Ronaldo scored 15 World Cup goals.
38: Messi is now the oldest player in men’s World Cup history to record a double and a hat-trick at 38 years and 357 days. He surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo for the record of the oldest player to score a hat trick in a World Cup match. Ronaldo scored a hat trick against Spain in 2018 at age 33.
3: While Tuesday was Messi’s first hat trick in a World Cup, it is the third time he has scored at least two goals in a World Cup match.
120: Messi now has 120 goals in international matches. That is second only to Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 143.
11: Tuesday was Messi’s eleventh hat trick for Argentina.
5: Messi’s hat trick is Argentina’s fifth all-time in the World Cup. Only Germany has more, six.
10: Messi, who plays for Inter Miami, is the tenth player affiliated with an MLS club to score a goal in a World Cup since 1998.
6: Messi is the first man to play in six World Cups, but Cristiano Ronaldo will join him when Portugal play on Tuesday. Messi made his 27th appearance in a World Cup match, extending his own record.
5: Messi became the second man to score in five different World Cups, joining Cristiano Ronaldo.
20: Messi’s first goal in a World Cup and his hat trick on Tuesday came 20 years apart. Messi now holds the record for Argentina’s youngest and oldest goalscorer in a World Cup (he scored at age 18 in 2006 and scored at age 38 on Tuesday).
14: Messi has now scored in five consecutive World Cup matches, tying the record with 14 other players. If he scores in Argentina’s next match against Algeria on Monday, he will be the first man to score in six consecutive World Cup matches.
1: Messi is also the first Argentine player to score in five consecutive World Cup matches, surpassing Hernán Crespo and Guillermo Stábile (four each).
200: Messi became the third man to record 200 international appearances, joining Cristiano Ronaldo (228) and Bader Al-Mutawa (202).
11: Algeria is the eleventh country he has scored against in a World Cup, more than any other player.
27: Messi already holds the record for most games played in the World Cup, extending his record to 27 on Tuesday.
17: Messi is one of 17 Argentines returning from the 2022 World Cup squad, tied for the most of any team.
176: Since making his debut for the national team in a friendly against Hungary in 2005, Messi has registered 176 goals in his 200 appearances.
8: Despite not recording an assist against Algeria, Messi’s eight World Cup assists are tied with Diego Maradona for the most since assist data was first tracked in 1966.
19: Coincidentally, Messi’s first international double came against Algeria 19 years ago.
