Lionel Messi continues to break football records. In the match of the first round of the World Cup 2026 against Algeria (3:0), the 38-year-old Argentinean scored a hat-trick and became the most productive player in the history of national teams behind the goal + pass system.

The match became Messi’s 200th at the Argentine national team warehouse. With three goals scored, the statistics for the national team now total 120 goals and 61 assists.

The Argentinean's goal is 181 effective performances among the national football team, which allowed him to beat Cristiano Ronaldo. Captain of the Portuguese national team has 180 points in the goal+assist system - 143 goals scored and 37 assists in 228 matches.

In addition, Messi continued to rise in the historical ranking of world championship scorers. Three goals against Algeria became his 14th, 15th and 16th at the World Cup, which allowed him to equal Miroslav Klose at the top of the list of the tournament's highest snipers.