The Argentine captain not only guided the defending champions to a comfortable Group J victory but also broke a World Cup record previously held by longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
At 38 years and 357 days old, Messi became the oldest player in World Cup history to score a hat-trick, surpassing Ronaldo’s previous mark set during Portugal’s memorable 3-3 draw against Spain at the 2018 tournament.
Ronaldo had held the record since 2018 when he scored a famous hat-trick against Spain at the age of 33 years and 130 days. Now, nearly eight years later, Messi has raised the bar once again.
The match began at a frantic pace, with both sides seeing early goals ruled out for offside.
However, it did not take long for Messi to stamp his authority on the contest.
The Argentine superstar opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a thunderous strike from distance that left goalkeeper Luca Zidane with no chance.
After Argentina controlled much of the match, Messi doubled the advantage shortly after the hour mark, reacting quickest to a rebound inside the penalty area.
The historic third goal arrived in the 76th minute. A clever back-heel pass from Nicolás González found Messi in space, and the veteran forward calmly finished to complete his first-ever World Cup hat-trick.
For nearly two decades, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated world football, consistently challenging each other for records, trophies, and individual honours.
Their rivalry has produced some of the most iconic moments in the sport’s history, with both players regularly exchanging records throughout their careers.