Lionel Messi rewrites history books at record sixth World Cup
Lionel Messi, just days shy of his 39th birthday, cemented his legendary status by not only becoming the first player to feature in a record sixth FIFA World Cup but also by scoring a stunning hat-trick on the 20th anniversary of his World Cup debut. The historic treble in Argentina's 3-0 opening victory over Algeria on June 16, 2026, at Kansas City Stadium, simultaneously drew him level with Germany's Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 16 goals.


















