Messi's first World Cup hat-trick. The night he equaled the all-time record of 16 goals after 20 years

Messi has moved history once again.

The result was,

Argentina 3-0 Algeria

The goalscorer for all of them was Lionel Messi.

17 minutes into the first half.

60 minutes into the second half.

And at 76 minutes.

He achieved a hat-trick in his first World Cup match, leading Argentina to victory.

Furthermore, his total World Cup goal count is now 16.

He has equaled the all-time tournament record held by Miroslav Klose.

It has been 20 years since he made his World Cup debut at the 2006 Germany tournament.

The player who appeared on the world stage with a boyish expression is now one of the all-time top scorers.

The numbers alone are hard to believe.

However, what I felt again watching this match is that Messi does not stand on past glory alone.

He chooses the distance he runs.

He chooses where to receive the ball.

He chooses the moment to take a shot.

Even as he ages, he continues to update the ways he approaches the goal.

Phantom goals for both teams from the start

From the start of the match, both teams were aggressive.

Five minutes into the first half.

Following a post play by Lautaro Martinez, Messi finds the back of the net.

It seemed Argentina had taken the lead, but the call was offside.

The goal was not allowed.

Three minutes later, Algeria's Fares Chaibi also scored.

However, this was also ruled offside.

Within less than 10 minutes of kickoff, both teams had found the net once each.

Yet the score remained 0-0.

It was an opening period that highlighted the tension of the World Cup and the strictness of the semi-automated offside era.

Even if it looks like a goal to the naked eye, the ruling changes based on a slight difference in position.

In the modern World Cup, the time spent waiting for video review immediately after a moment of joy has become part of the game.

Messi's first goal began with a vertical pass from De Paul

Seventeen minutes into the first half.

The real opening goal was scored.

The play originated with Rodrigo De Paul.

He sent a sharp vertical pass forward from near the halfway line in his own half.

Messi receives the ball between opposing players and heads straight toward the goal.

He swings his left foot from near the penalty arc.

The ball pierced the goal.

Argentina leads 1-0.

Messi's long-range shot is magnificent.

However, the pass from De Paul just before that also carries great significance.

Vertical, not horizontal.

He didn't pass to a safe spot, but to a place that instantly bypassed the opponent's defense.

If Messi has the ball facing forward, the Algerian defense is in a dangerous situation in an instant.

The passer found Messi's position and delivered the ball to a spot where Messi could face forward.

The goal was already half-made at that point.

Why did Messi have time to take the shot?

There is no player as closely guarded as Messi.

Left foot.

Dribbling.

Long-range shot.

Everyone knows what he is going to do.

Yet, he cannot be stopped.

One reason is his movement before receiving the ball.

He does not wait directly in front of the opposing defenders.

He moves into the space between the midfield and the defensive line.

He stands in a position where the defenders are unsure who is responsible for marking him.

And, just before the pass comes in, he changes the orientation of his body.

It is not that Messi starts thinking only after he has the ball.

He prepares his next play before he even receives it.

Because of this, by the time the defense closes in, he is already in a shooting position.

It is a small time difference, but on the world's greatest stage, that split second becomes a goal.

The second goal was a reaction to a loose ball.

In the second half, Argentina scores an additional goal.

Alexis Mac Allister takes a mid-range shot.

Algeria's goalkeeper Luca Zidane blocks it.

Normally, it would look like the attack had ended there.

However, Messi had not stopped moving.

He reacted to the ball parried by the goalkeeper faster than anyone else.

He pushed the loose ball into the goal to make it 2-0.

It was not a flashy dribble.

He didn't dribble past anyone.

Even so, it is a goal packed with what a striker needs.

Thinking about the possibility of a rebound the moment a teammate takes a shot.

Predicting which way the goalkeeper will deflect the ball.

Taking a step forward before the opposing defender.

In front of the goal, just a split second of reaction speed makes the difference between scoring and not.

Messi can score not only brilliant goals but also these gritty ones.

That is likely why he is able to rack up so many goals.

Substitute Nicolas Gonzalez sets up the third goal

76th minute of the second half.

Messi completes his hat-trick.

The assist came from substitute Nicolas Gonzalez.

He entered the attack from the left side and delivered the ball to Messi.

Messi does not panic.

Watching the positions of the goalkeeper and the defense, he calmly slotted it in with his left foot.

3-0.

His first World Cup hat-trick.

What I want to highlight here is that a substitute player was involved in the goal.

The World Cup features matches played in quick succession.

You cannot keep winning with just the starting eleven.

Players coming off the bench exploit the space left by tired opponents.

They add variety to the attack with new movements.

Argentina created their third goal not just through Messi, but with the entire team.

It is not as if Algeria could do nothing at all.

The final score was 3-0.

Looking only at the numbers, it was a complete victory for Argentina.

However, Algeria also had periods where they were competitive.

They even found the back of the net early on.

Even with Riyad Mahrez on the bench, they looked for chances from the front line.

Defensively, they also committed numbers to prevent Messi from playing freely.

The problem was the difference in finishing ability.

Algeria captain Aïssa Mandi also acknowledged Messi's finishing ability after the match.

When the same chances arise, can you convert them into goals?

Argentina had a player who could turn almost every opportunity into a goal.

In the World Cup, that difference significantly impacts the final score.

The strength of the champion Argentina is not just Messi

There is no doubt that Messi, who achieved a hat-trick, is the protagonist.

Even so, the strength of Argentina cannot be explained by Messi alone.

Lautaro holds up the ball at the front line.

De Paul sends a vertical pass to Messi.

Mac Allister fires a middle-distance shot.

Nicolas Gonzalez provides an assist after coming on as a substitute.

The defense keeps Algeria scoreless.

The entire team supports Messi.

At the same time, by Messi drawing in the opponent's defense, space is created for the surrounding players as well.

It is not a one-sided support between Messi and his teammates.

Through each other's abilities, they pose multiple problems to the opponent.

This is the level of perfection of the defending champions.

Equaling Klose after 20 years

2006.

Messi made his World Cup debut at the Germany tournament.

He also recorded a goal in the match against Serbia and Montenegro, where he came on as a substitute.

Twenty years have passed since then.

He challenged the World Cup many times.

Tournaments where he was defeated as a favorite to win.

The time he announced his retirement from the national team.

The 2014 tournament where he tasted defeat in the final.

And 2022, when he achieved his long-cherished victory.

Surpassing all of that, he scored his first hat-trick in the 2026 tournament.

He equaled Klose with a total of 16 goals.

This is not a record built in just one tournament.

To be selected for the national team over many long years.

To maintain a world-class level of performance.

To keep scoring goals while carrying the expectations of a nation.

More than the numerical record itself, I am overwhelmed by the length of that time.

Messi is enjoying the present more than the records

After the match, Messi described his current experience as "something like a bonus."

He has already fulfilled many dreams.

He has achieved more than he ever imagined.

Now, he is enjoying standing on the pitch with his teammates.

That state of mind comes across.

In the past, Messi felt the heavy pressure of having to lead Argentina to victory.

Now, he is a world champion.

Perhaps he has finally been able to lift that burden and is purely enjoying football.

There is no one more frightening to an opponent than a Messi who is enjoying himself.

He does not rush.

He does not chase records alone.

He seizes the moment that comes to him within the flow of the team.

That natural approach seemed to lead to his hat-trick.

How will Austria stop Messi in the next match?

Argentina's next opponent is Austria.

Austria also won their first match 3-1 against Jordan.

It will be a battle for the top spot, with both teams entering with 3 points.

What Austria needs is not to react after the ball reaches Messi.

They must prevent De Paul and Mac Allister from playing vertical passes to Messi.

They must eliminate the spaces where Messi can turn forward.

They must not lose out on reactions to loose balls.

They need to restrict Argentina's entire attack, rather than just watching Messi.

If you try to stop him alone, he will dribble past you.

If you surround him with multiple players, another player will be left open.

How will Austria respond to this difficult challenge?

I am looking forward to the next match as well.

The World Cup is even more interesting when you know what happens behind the goals.

You could end this match by saying,

"Messi scored three goals."

for the final result.

But if you change your perspective a little, you can see much more.

De Paul's vertical pass.

Messi's positioning before receiving the ball.

Mac Allister's preparation for the shot.

The movement of Nicolas Gonzalez, who came on as a substitute.

The two offside calls that were overturned early in the game.

Behind the goals and the decisions, there are tactics and technology.

Modern national teams prepare for matches by analyzing video, GPS, running data, and player position information.

Where is it dangerous to pass the ball to Messi?

At what moment does the opponent's defensive line break down?

What kind of space opens up around fatigued players?

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Beyond just the results,

why those goals were scored

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Messi's story is not over yet

Twenty years since his World Cup debut.

Messi seemed to have achieved everything after finally winning the title he had long dreamed of.

Yet, the story continued.

A hat-trick in the opening match.

Tying the all-time record of 16 goals.

Leading the champions, Argentina, to victory.

Even when you think there is nothing left to be surprised by, Messi exceeds expectations once again.

With the next goal, he will hold the record alone.

However, he is likely not just chasing records.

Playing with his teammates.

Enjoying the World Cup.

And taking the chances right in front of him.

Beyond that accumulation, a new history of consecutive championships awaits.

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The theme is, Why has the Japan national team become stronger?

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📚 There are also books related to the World Cup

Host country.

Travel distance.

Time difference.

Heat.

Tactics.

AI.

Data.

Even before the match begins, there are many interesting points about the World Cup.

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