Entering his sixth FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi had no hat-tricks at the tournament. But it changed on Tuesday, June 16, as he scored an incredible hat-trick to help Argentina to a 3-0 win against Algeria. The World Cup winner is now a goal and an assist away from further World Cup history as he faces Austria next.

Ahead of Argentina’s second match at the World Cup against Austria, Messi is joint first in both goals scored and assists made at the World Cup. He is tied with Miroslav Klose in goals scored with 16. With eight assists, he is level at the top with Argentine all-time great and his idol, Diego Maradona. If he can continue his form, he will emerge as the lone holder of both goal and assist records at the showpiece event.

Messi’s World Cup journey began in 2006 as he registered a goal and an assist in three appearances. He became the youngest Argentine to do so at the World Cup. Their run was cut short by hosts Germany in the quarterfinals.

A maturing Lionel Messi featured at the 2010 World Cup but left with another quarterfinal exit against Germany, as he managed only one assist in five appearances as Maradona coached the Argentinian squad.

At the peak of his powers, he starred in the 2014 World Cup in neighboring Brazil. With four goals and an assist in seven games, he led Argentina to the final, but Germany once again got the better of them and lifted the trophy. Klose, who scored his 16th World Cup goal, was in the opposition lineup as Messi collected the Golden Ball trophy along with his runner-up medal.

Argentina and Messi had a lukewarm 2018 World Cup in Russia as they exited the tournament in the round of 16 against eventual winners France. Lionel Messi scored only once and managed to add two assists to his tally. Many believed it to be the final World Cup for the then 31-year-old Messi.

At 35, he arrived in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup, still hoping for a final hurrah. Messi delivered as he scored seven goals during the World Cup, including a goal in the final, and laid on three assists as Argentina won the World Cup. He also won the Golden Ball and became the first player to score in every tournament stage.

Just days shy of turning 39, Messi is back as the defending champion and scored a record-equalling hat-trick to equal Klose’s scoring record. For a man who barely acknowledges the records he breaks, this will not mean much, but to the soccer world, it will define an era that may never be eclipsed in the future.

A dream turnaround after multiple heartbreaks

After conquering everything at the club level, Lionel Messi fell short at the international level multiple times. The burden of carrying Maradona’s and Argentina’s legacy weighed too heavily. The 2014 World Cup final defeat was the beginning of a series of defeats that pushed Messi into international retirement.

Identical defeats to Chile in the finals of the 2015 and 2016 Copa America on penalty shootouts broke his resolve. A 29-year-old Messi announced his retirement after the 2016 defeat. It sent the entire country into shock as the then-president, Mauricio Macri, personally intervened and convinced Messi to return following rallies from the public requesting him to stay.

However, another disappointing 2018 World Cup awaited him. But it proved to be the last time Lionel Messi would ever taste defeat in an international competition. The Argentine Football Association chose to appoint Lionel Scaloni as the head coach. It sparked a revival of Messi’s international career as Scaloni built the team completely around Messi.

Scaloni picked young talent and workhorses who could run for the entirety of 90-minutes and possess incredible technical quality. Besides, it was also a generation of players that grew up idolizing Messi and could go to war for him.

Rodrigo De Paul famously once said players could “go to war for Messi.” They proved it on the pitch as Argentina won the 2021 Copa America. Messi once again won the Best Player award and finished as joint-top scorer and top assist provider despite not scoring in the final.

It ended the 28-year international trophy drought for Argentina and relieved a massive weight off Lionel Messi’s chest. He played with increased freedom as the South American nation won the Finalissima against European champions Italy in 2022.

The 2022 World Cup campaign proved to be the icing on the cake, as many believed Lionel Messi completed football after winning the holy grail.

Another Copa America triumph in 2024 followed as the international trophy cabinet of Messi started glowing. Eager to add one more World Cup, the squad is fighting again with Lionel Messi on the front line.