Lionel Messi is now the youngest and oldest Argentina national team player to score at a World Cup.

Messi had three goals for Argentina in their 3-0 win against Algeria to make him Argentina’s oldest player to ever score a World Cup goal. He is also the youngest player to ever score a goal at a World Cup with the Argentina national team.

On June 16, 2006, Lionel Messi played in his first World Cup match with the Argentina national team against Serbia and Montenegro. In his first World Cup match, he scored his first World Cup goal to become the youngest Argentine to score at a World Cup at 18 years of age.

Twenty years later, on June 16, 2026, Lionel Messi scored his first ever hat trick at a World Cup in the win against Algeria. At 38 years of age, he is the oldest Argentina national team player to score at the tournament.

Lionel Messi made World Cup history during Argentina’s match against Algeria.

Messi scored three goals for Argentina in their 3-0 win against Algeria, making World Cup history. The 38 year old became the first male player to play in six World Cup tournaments.

His first was in 2006 in Germany where he played one match, his second in 2010 in South Africa where he played five matches, his third in 2014 where he played seven matches in Brazil, his fourth in 2018 in Russia where he played four matches and his fifth was in 2022 in Qatar where he played seven matches to win the World Cup.

Lionel Messi is now the joint all time leading goal scorer at the World Cup.

Messi had three goals for the Argentina in their 3-0 win against Algeria at the World Cup. Those three goals brought him to 16 all time, tied with Miroslav Klose.

The 38 year old had one goal at the 2006 World Cup, four goals in 2014, one in 2018 and seven goals in 2022 when Argentina won the World Cup. He needs one more goal to break the record.

Lionel Messi was named as the Player of the Match for Argentina against Algeria at the World Cup.

Messi scored three goals for Argentina in their 3-0 win against Algeria. The 38 year old played 80 minutes before being substituted out to a standing ovation.

The Argentine spoke to the media after the 3-0 win.