Lionel Messi rewrites history books at record sixth World Cup

Argentina icon Lionel Messi has become the most decorated player of all time at the FIFA World Cup, scoring his maiden tournament hat-trick against Algeria in a match his side won 3-0, at a personal record sixth World Cup appearance.

The 38-year-old rewrote the history books from the minute he stepped onto the pitch at Kansas City Stadium for his 200th international appearance on Tuesday night.

Messi became the first man to play in six World Cups when he was named in Argentina’s starting XI, a record that will be shared by Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo on Wednesday, and Guillermo Ochoa, if the Mexican veteran goalkeeper is sent onto the pitch during the tournament.

Messi’s first goal of the night came at 17 minutes and equalled Kylian Mbappe’s 14 goals at a World Cup , with the Frenchman having eclipsed the Argentinian just hours earlier in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal in New York.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s fairytale start to his sixth World Cup was slightly delayed, however, when his first goal in the fourth minute was overturned by the referee.

Still, Messi worked his magic and netted to the right of the goal after Algerian keeper Luca Zidane offered a rebound, making it Messi’s 15th World Cup goal.

Messi’s decades-long legacy at the tournament began when, at 18 years of age, he made his World Cup debut in 2006, the same year that Zidane’s father, French legend Zinedine Zidane, enjoyed his best run.

Whether it is a poetic sign from the universe or a tournament scheduling coincidence, Tuesday marked exactly 20 years to the day since Messi earned his first World Cup cap for Argentina against Serbia and Montenegro.