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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 win over Algeria on Tuesday night, scoring his first ever hat-trick in a World Cup match. His three goals came hours after France’s Kylian Mbappé and Norway’s Erling Haaland each scored twice in their respective matches earlier in the day, with Messi once again upstaging his best competition.
The three goals also put Messi on top of the World Cup record books. He now has 16 career World Cup goals, moving him into a tie for first place for most all-time.
So, as Messi continues to make history at the ripe old age of 38, here’s a look at his latest memorable performance by the numbers.
16: Messi’s goals in the World Cup are tied for the highest ever. Only former Germany star Miroslav Klose has as many World Cup goals with 16, while former Brazilian star Ronaldo scored 15 goals at the World Cup.
38: Messi is now the oldest player in men’s World Cup history to record a brace and a hat-trick at 38 years, 357 days. He passed Cristiano Ronaldo for the record for the oldest player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup match. Ronaldo scored a hat-trick against Spain in 2018 at the age of 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 game.
120: Messi now has 120 goals in international play. It is second only to Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 143.
11: Tuesday was Messi’s 11th hat-trick for Argentina.
5: Messi’s hat-trick is Argentina’s fifth ever at the World Cup. Only Germany has more with six.
10: Messi, who plays for Inter Miami, is the 10th player affiliated with an MLS club to score a World Cup goal 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 at a World Cup and his hat-trick on Tuesday came 20 years apart. Messi now holds the record as Argentina’s youngest and oldest goalscorer at a World Cup (he scored as an 18-year-old in 2006 and scored as a 38-year-old on Tuesday).
14: Messi has now scored in five consecutive World Cup matches, equaling the record of 14 other players. If he scores in Argentina’s next game against Algeria on Monday, he will become the first man to score in six consecutive World Cup games.
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 ever to make 200 caps, joining Cristiano Ronaldo (228) and Bader Al-Mutawa (202).
11: Algeria is the 11th country he has scored against in the World Cup, more than any player ever.
27: Messi already holds the record for most World Cup matches played and extended his record to 27 on Tuesday.
17: Messi is one of 17 Argentines returning from the 2022 World Cup squad, 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 assists in his 200 games.
8: Despite not registering an assist against Algeria, Messi’s eight World Cup assists are tied with Diego Maradona for most since assist data was first tracked in 1966.
19: Coincidentally, Messi’s first cap came against Algeria 19 years ago.
