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Tuesday was a day filled with 2026 FIFA World Cup superstars. 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 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 surpassing his best competition.
These three goals also propelled Messi to the top of the World Cup record books. He now has 16 career World Cup goals, tying him for first place for the most.
As Messi continues to make history at the age of 38, here’s a look at his latest memorable performance by the numbers.
16: Messi’s World Cup goals are tied for the most. Only former German star Miroslav Klose has as many World Cup goals with 16, while former Brazilian star Ronaldo has scored 15 World Cup goals.
38: Messi is now the oldest player in men’s World Cup history to record a brace and a hat-trick at 38 years and 357 days. He overtook Cristiano Ronaldo for the record as 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 World Cup hat trick, it was the third time he has scored at least two goals in a World Cup match.
120: Messi now has 120 international goals. This is only second behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 143.
11: Tuesday was Messi’s 11th hat trick for Argentina.
5: Messi’s hat trick is Argentina’s fifth all-time 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 have played 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 World Cup goal and his hat trick on Tuesday came 20 years apart. Messi now holds the records for the youngest and oldest Argentine goalscorer at a World Cup (he scored at 18 in 2006 and at 38 on Tuesday).
14: Messi has now scored in five consecutive World Cup matches, tying 14 other players for the record. 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 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 other player.
27: Messi already holds the record for most World Cup matches played, taking his record to 27 as of Tuesday.
17: Messi is one of 17 Argentines returning from the 2022 World Cup squad, tied among all teams.
176: Since his national team debut in a friendly against Hungary in 2005, Messi has recorded 176 goals in 200 appearances.
8: Although he did not record an assist against Algeria, Messi’s eight World Cup assists are tied with Diego Maradona for the most since assist data was first recorded in 1966.
19: Coincidentally, Messi’s first international double came against Algeria 19 years ago.
