Lionel Messi Remains The World's Best Player For As Long As He Chooses, Scaloni Says

Lionel Messi extended a historic Lionel Messi World Cup record night with a hat-trick against Algeria, prompting head coach Lionel Scaloni to insist the captain will stay the planet’s finest footballer for as long as Messi chooses. Argentina’s 3-0 Group J victory in Kansas City saw Messi equal the all-time World Cup scoring mark and set multiple age-related records.

The Argentina forward now shares the overall Lionel Messi World Cup record for goals with Germany’s Miroslav Klose, both standing on 16 strikes. Their tallies move them ahead of Ronaldo Nazario on 15, while Gerd Muller and Kylian Mbappe are next on 14 goals each, underlining how Messi has climbed this elite scoring list late in a long career.

Messi’s treble against Algeria also delivered several age landmarks for the Lionel Messi World Cup record story. At 38 years and 357 days, Messi became the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo’s previous mark from 2018, when Ronaldo struck three times for Portugal against Spain at 33 years and 130 days.

The captain also set another Lionel Messi World Cup record by becoming the oldest player to score more than once in a match at the tournament. That achievement overtook Roger Milla, who had been 38 years and 34 days when scoring twice for Cameroon against Colombia at the 1990 World Cup, another benchmark now moved aside by Messi’s performance.

Messi had never scored a World Cup hat-trick before this Lionel Messi World Cup record display. Argentina’s captain saw an early goal ruled out for offside, but then struck on 17 minutes from distance, beating goalkeeper Luca Zidane through the gloves. After the break, Messi reacted first to a parry from Alexis Mac Allister’s shot, then completed his treble with a trademark curling finish into the bottom-left corner.

That third goal showcased a trademark Lionel Messi World Cup record moment, as Messi twisted free on the edge of the area before picking out the corner. Algeria could not contain him in this Group J opener, with the Argentina forward effectively deciding the contest alone. The defending champions therefore started their campaign with a controlled 3-0 success.

Scaloni on Lionel Messi World Cup record and leadership

Scaloni emphasised how Messi’s influence goes beyond the Lionel Messi World Cup record numbers, highlighting the sustained impact over two decades. Argentina’s coach has worked with Messi through triumphs at the Copa America in 2021 and 2024, and believes the current national set-up suits the number ten both on and off the pitch, helping Messi deliver decisive contributions at this stage of a long international journey.

Scaloni, speaking to TyC Sports after the Lionel Messi World Cup record performance, said: "I have no words for Leo, he has been doing it for 20 years. What he does and transmits is incredible. In addition to scoring three goals, Messi put the team on his shoulder and, until he wants to, he will be the best. It’s exciting to see him, for Argentines and anyone who likes football, at almost 39 years old. It’s difficult to explain."

Lionel Messi World Cup record in context of previous tournaments

Earlier in his career, the Lionel Messi World Cup record was more modest. Messi scored once in both 2006 and 2018, and did not find the net at the 2010 tournament. The 2014 World Cup brought the Golden Ball and four goals as Argentina finished runners-up, yet the overall World Cup scoring total grew slowly until this late-career surge.

Scaloni described how the group environment supports the Lionel Messi World Cup record pursuit. The coach said: "He always played very well, but of course, Messi’s last years with the national team were wonderful. He found a group of friends to play with him, not to see him as a God. He transmits something that is difficult to explain, he has a special aura." The coach suggested that dynamic has helped unlock Messi’s best form in major tournaments.

Lionel Messi World Cup record statistics

The statistical weight of the Lionel Messi World Cup record and rival marks can be seen clearly when comparing ages and totals from different eras of the tournament.

Although Messi now plays club football in MLS for Inter Miami, away from European competition, the Lionel Messi World Cup record continues to grow. Scaloni stressed that the league change has not reduced performance levels for Argentina. Instead, Messi’s international displays remain central to the team’s tactics and mentality during this latest title defence.

Lionel Messi World Cup record and reaction to statistics

Messi was asked after the match how much the Lionel Messi World Cup record matters personally. Messi responded: "The truth is that I don’t. It’s an honour to be there because of what it means to be with Klose. There’s Ronaldo there too, but I don’t think it means anything. Mbappe is there and he scored two [on Tuesday]. It’s a statistic and nothing more. While we are proud to be able to compete with all of them, it doesn’t mean a thing to me. Ronaldo, from what I saw, was one of the greatest players ever and he is not first, so it is only a statistic."

Beyond the Lionel Messi World Cup record, Messi discussed motivation and inspiration. Messi explained that playing football remains a lifelong passion, and that physical condition is crucial for performance. The captain stressed that when fitness levels are high, the desire to give everything on the pitch remains the same as during earlier phases of Messi’s career.

Lionel Messi World Cup record and Nadal influence

Messi said a new Netflix documentary series about Rafael Nadal has also influenced preparation around the Lionel Messi World Cup record chase. The Argentina captain has focused on Nadal’s work on recovery and injury management, relating these themes to the demands of tournament football and the challenge of maintaining top level output near the age of 39.

Reflecting on this, Messi added: "I just like to play football. It has been my passion since I was a child. When I’m well, I give my best. We are now watching RafaNadal’sseries and I identify a lot with him, we are very similar in the sense that I want to give my best and I want to feel good. As long as I feel well, we will be there."

With Argentina starting their campaign strongly and the Lionel Messi World Cup record now level with Klose, the focus turns to how long Messi can maintain this standard. The Algeria display showed that, despite playing in MLS and approaching 39, Messi remains decisive for the defending champions, both as goal scorer and as the leader guiding the national team through another World Cup challenge.