Lionel Messi rolled back the years with a mesmerising display, reminding Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and the rest of the footballing world that he remains among the finest players ever to grace the sport.

As he nears his 39th birthday, those who assumed Messi would play a supporting role at this World Cup have been proven wrong. The Argentine captain delivered a sensational hat-trick in Argentina’s opening fixture against Algeria, making an emphatic statement.

That treble took Messi level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the most goals ever scored in World Cup history. Klose netted 16 times across 24 matches, while Messi reached the same total in three additional games.

Messi has also now established a new all-time record for goal contributions at the World Cup, with 16 goals and eight assists, surpassing the legendary Pele’s tally of 21.

Interestingly, Messi has only scored multiple goals in three of his six World Cup tournaments. Despite his overall total of 16, his scoring record has not been consistent across every campaign.

In half of his previous tournaments, Messi managed just a single goal or fewer — including 2010, when he failed to find the net altogether. However, when he does strike form, his goals tend to arrive in bursts.

In the 2014 World Cup, Messi finished as the third-highest scorer with four goals. In 2022, he netted seven times, just one behind Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappe. Now, with the group stage of the 2026 World Cup nearing completion, Messi leads the scoring charts once again following his hat-trick against Algeria. If history is any indication, there could be more goals to come from him this tournament.

What makes Messi’s current run even more remarkable is that he continues to shine in the twilight of his career. Since turning 35, he has not only maintained his form but surpassed the total number of World Cup goals scored by legends such as Thierry Henry, Rivaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Diego Maradona throughout their entire careers.

The match against Algeria also marked Messi’s 200th appearance for Argentina, making him the first South American footballer ever to reach that milestone. Additionally, he became the oldest player in history to score multiple goals in a single World Cup match.

Cristiano Ronaldo, undoubtedly watching with mixed emotions, saw another of his long-standing records fall. Previously, Ronaldo held the record as the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick at 33 years and 130 days. Messi has now eclipsed that mark at 38 years and 357 days.

Messi has also equalled Ronaldo’s record of scoring in five different World Cup tournaments. However, Ronaldo has the opportunity to reclaim that distinction if he finds the net in Portugal’s upcoming clash against DR Congo on Wednesday.