Lionel Messi Becomes First Player to Appear in Six FIFA World Cups, Scores Hat-Trick to Equal Goal Record
Lionel Messi made history at the FIFA World Cup 2026 by becoming the first player to feature in six editions of the tournament, starting in Argentina's opener against Algeria. In his 200th international appearance, Messi scored a hat-trick, equaling Miroslav Klose's all-time World Cup goal record of 16. He also became the second player to score in five different World Cups, joining Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi's performance reinforced his status as one of football's greatest, contributing to Argentina's 3-0 victory.