Even at 38, he demonstrated the touch that had defined his career
Twenty years after his first World Cup goal, Lionel Messi completed a circle of rare symmetry — scoring his first hat-trick in the tournament at age 38, drawing level with Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history. The milestone arrived not as a farewell gesture but as a declaration, reminding the world that greatness, when it is genuine, does not simply fade with time. Argentina, defending champions, now turn toward Austria in Dallas, their captain still the axis around which their ambitions revolve.
- Messi's hat-trick against Algeria didn't just win a match — it rewrote the record books, placing him alongside Klose at 16 World Cup goals and past Müller and Ronaldo in a single evening.
- The weight of the moment was compounded by its timing: exactly 20 years after his first World Cup goal, days before his 39th birthday, and during his 200th cap for Argentina.
- For a tournament many assumed would be his last, the performance shattered any narrative of decline — Messi looked not like a legend fading out, but one operating at full force.
- Argentina now carry the momentum of defending champions with a captain in historic form, but Austria in Dallas on Monday represents the next test of whether that opening statement holds.
- Sunday's training photos on Instagram — quiet, routine images of drills and preparation — carried an unmistakable undercurrent: this team knows what it has, and it is not finished.
Lionel Messi posted training photographs on Sunday evening, showing Argentina preparing for their second World Cup 2026 group stage match. The images arrived less than 24 hours after one of the most consequential performances of his career.
In their opening match, Argentina dismantled Algeria 3-0, with Messi scoring all three goals — a long-range opener, a rebound finish, and a curling strike in the 76th minute that completed his first-ever World Cup hat-trick across six tournament appearances. The milestone drew him level with Germany's Miroslav Klose at 16 all-time World Cup goals, surpassing Gerd Müller and Brazil's Ronaldo in the process.
The timing gave the achievement an almost mythological quality. It came exactly 20 years after Messi's first World Cup goal in 2006, just days before his 39th birthday, and during his 200th appearance for Argentina — a player already historic as the first to compete in six World Cups.
Even at 38, Messi produced the kind of display that had defined his career for two decades: creative, controlled, and ruthlessly precise. For Argentina, defending their title, the message was clear — their captain was still capable of carrying them through a tournament.
Austria awaits on Monday in Dallas. The training photos Messi shared were ordinary in appearance, but they carried the weight of everything that had just happened. Argentina had announced themselves, and their captain had reminded the world why.
Lionel Messi posted training photographs to Instagram on Sunday evening, showing himself and his Argentina teammates preparing for their second match of the World Cup 2026 group stage. The images came less than 24 hours after one of the most consequential performances of his career—a hat-trick against Algeria that reshaped his place in World Cup history.
Argentina had demolished Algeria 3-0 in their opening match, with Messi orchestrating the victory almost single-handedly. He opened the scoring with a long-range strike, then capitalized on a rebound for his second goal before completing the hat-trick in the 76th minute with a curling finish that left no doubt about the outcome. It was his first hat-trick in World Cup play across six tournament appearances spanning two decades.
The milestone carried weight beyond the match itself. With those three goals, Messi drew level with Germany's Miroslav Klose at 16 all-time World Cup goals, joining him at the summit of men's tournament history. He surpassed Gerd Müller and Brazil's Ronaldo in the process. The timing added another layer of significance: the hat-trick came exactly 20 years after Messi scored his first World Cup goal in 2006, and just days before his 39th birthday. He was also making his 200th appearance for Argentina, a milestone he had already achieved as the first player ever to compete in six World Cups.
The performance represented a vintage Messi display—the kind that had defined his career for nearly two decades. Even at 38, facing a tournament that many assumed would be his last, he demonstrated the creativity, control, and finishing touch that had made him one of sport's most dominant figures. For Argentina, defending their World Cup title, the statement was unmistakable: their captain remained capable of carrying them through the tournament.
Now came the next test. Austria awaited on Monday in Dallas, and Messi's training photos served as a signal that Argentina was ready to build on their opening dominance. The defending champions had momentum, a captain performing at an elite level, and a group stage still to navigate. The images Messi shared—his teammates moving through drills, preparing for the next opponent—were routine in appearance but carried the weight of what had just transpired. Argentina had announced itself as a serious threat, and their captain had reminded the world why.
Citações Notáveis
Messi produced a vintage display of creativity, control and finishing to guide Argentina to a convincing victory— Match reporting
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
What strikes you most about Messi posting those training photos right after a hat-trick?
It's the ordinariness of it. He just scored his first World Cup hat-trick at 38, tied an all-time record, and his response is to show up the next day and do the work. There's no celebration, no dwelling on it.
But doesn't the timing matter? Exactly 20 years after his first World Cup goal?
It does, but I think Messi himself might not be dwelling on that symmetry the way we are. For him, it's probably just another match to prepare for. The poetry is ours to find.
Do you think Austria will play differently knowing what he just did?
Of course. But that's always been Messi's burden—teams know what he can do, and they still can't stop him. Austria will have a plan, but plans tend to dissolve when he has the ball.
At 39, is this his last World Cup?
Almost certainly. Which makes those training photos bittersweet. He's preparing for what might be his final tournament run, and he's doing it as the joint-highest scorer in World Cup history. That's not how most careers end.
What does Argentina need from him now?
The same thing they always have: moments of brilliance when it matters most. He's shown he still has them.