FIFA World Cup 2026: Messi breaks 36-year-old record, becomes the oldest to….

Lionel Messi kicked off Argentina’s FIFA World Cup campaign in emphatic style with his record hat-trick. The defending champions claimed a 3-0 victory over Algeria in their tournament opener.

While Messi remained the sole scorer with his stunning hat-trick.The Argentine skipper is 38 years, 357 days old. In an age at which most players choose to retire, Messi continues to amaze spectators with his consistent goal-scoring ability. His hat-trick today was further proof that age has done little to diminish his football prowess.

Messi shattered many records with his blazing performance, surpassing football legends.

One such record is for the oldest player to score multiple goals in a FIFA World Cup match, surpassing the Cameroonian football legend Roger Milla’s.For more than three decades, Roger Milla held the record after scoring multiple goals in a World Cup match at 38 years and 34 days old in 1990. Messi has now eclipsed his mark by 323 days, leading the charts to claim the new age milestone. Milla, however, remains the oldest player ever to score at a FIFA World Cup, a feat he achieved at 42 years of age.

Ronaldo Remains in the Hunt

Lionel Messi’s nemesis, Cristiano Ronaldo, is also among the oldest players at the FIFA World Cup. The 41-year-old Portuguese icon also has an opportunity to better his long-standing rival for this record. Veteran players like Luca Modric and Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko are also among the oldest players to feature in the tournament.Lionel Messi also claimed the record for most goals in World Cups, levelling the former German striker Miroslav Klose with 16 goals, surpassing Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario(15 goals).