18/06/2026 09:28 - Deportes
Lionel Messi celebrando su triplete en el Mundial 2026 con la camiseta argentina, estadio lleno de hinchas con banderas celestes y blancas, confeti cayendo, ambiente festivo nocturno
The Argentine National Team began its journey in the 2026 World Cup with a dominant 3-0 victory over Algeria, but the night will be etched in history for the performance of Lionel Messi, who scored a hat-trick and reached 16 World Cup goals, equaling the record set by German legend Miroslav Klose.
The Argentine captain scored in the 16th minute, 59th minute, and 75th minute at Kansas City Stadium before 70,000 spectators, also becoming the first player in history to participate in six World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026).
Note: Miroslav Klose is a retired German striker who held the World Cup scoring record with 16 goals across four tournaments (2002-2014). Messi now shares this prestigious milestone.
Paolo Maldini was an Italian defender who held the previous record for consecutive World Cup appearances with 23 matches.
| Team | Pts | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 3 | 3 | 0 | +3 |
| Austria | 3 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
| Algeria | 0 | 0 | 3 | -3 |
| Jordan | 0 | 1 | 3 | -2 |
Didier Deschamps, the head coach of the French national team, did not hold back his praise after the Argentine captain's performance, making a statement that quickly went viral:
"In football, there are great players, there are legends... and then there's Messi doing things that seem almost impossible to replicate."
Deschamps, who faced Argentina in the Qatar 2022 final (a dramatic match that Argentina won on penalties after a 3-3 draw), added that "what Lionel Messi is doing right now is not something you analyze as normal football... it's something you simply witness and accept as greatness unfolding in real time."
The French manager reflected on the challenge of facing him: "You can defend perfectly for 89 minutes, stay compact, disciplined... and then in a split second, he produces something that destroys everything you've built."
Didier Deschamps is one of only three people to have won the World Cup both as a player (1998) and as a coach (2018). His France team lost to Argentina in the 2022 final, one of the most exciting World Cup finals in history.
Defender Cristian "Cuti" Romero (a key player in Argentina's defense and one of Messi's closest teammates) shared a curious moment in an interview with journalist Joaquín "Pollo" Álvarez:
"It seems Messi wanted to win the Prode, because he predicted we'd win 3-0."
The coincidence between the captain's prediction and the final result sparked laughter at the press conference, showing the team's excellent atmosphere.
"Prode" is a popular football prediction game in Argentina where participants guess match scores. Romero jokingly suggested Messi made his own prediction before the match.
Antonela Roccuzzo (Messi's wife and childhood sweetheart from Rosario, Argentina) posted an emotional message on Instagram after the victory:
"How I love youuuuu" (original: "Cómo te amooooooo")
Messi responded briefly: "I love you all" (referring to his family), generating hundreds of thousands of reactions on social media.
Enzo Fernández:
"The GOAT is on fire, the fans enjoyed it so much."
(Enzo is Argentina's midfielder who won Best Young Player at Qatar 2022)
Rodrigo De Paul:
"Tomorrow he wakes up and says 'what time do we play next?' and I tell him 'but yesterday you scored three'. There will never be another human being capable of doing what he does for 20 years."
(De Paul is Argentina's midfielder and one of Messi's closest friends on the team, known as his "bodyguard" on the pitch)
Lionel Messi:
"I felt good, I prepared as best I could physically to be up to my teammates' level. Now I enjoy being on the pitch. I love competing."
June 22, 2026 - Argentina vs Austria
Dallas, United States
June 27, 2026 - Argentina vs Jordan
Dallas, United States
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico - the first time the tournament has three host nations. Matches are being played across 16 cities in North America. Argentina enters as defending champions after their victory in Qatar 2022, which ended a 36-year World Cup drought for the nation.
Sources: ESPN Argentina | TyC Sports
Alfredo S. Quiroga
