Just when you think he’s done leaving the world in awe with his extraterrestrial quality, Lionel Messi reminds us his greatness knows no bounds. In his first World Cup appearance as a champion, Messi scored a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina’s 2026 curtain-raiser to go level with Miroslav Klose as the competition’s most prolific goalscorer with 16 career strikes. At almost 39 years young, Messi scored his first career World Cup hat-trick to match Klose’s record while also becoming the oldest player in the tournament’s nearly 100-year history to score three goals in a single game. On the 20th anniversary of his first ever World Cup appearance and goal, Messi added another incredible achievement to his illustrious career. Here, we look back at all 16 goals Messi has scored in his World Cup career. 1. Messi vs. Serbia and Montenegro (2006)Lionel Messi. World Cup debut (2006). pic.twitter.com/5atlvcrADW— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) June 16, 2026Only 14 minutes into his World Cup debut, Messi darted into the box to meet a Carlos Tévez through-ball and fired a weak-footed shot into the back of the net to announce his arrival on the biggest stage. Argentina hammered Serbia and Montenegro 6–0 and Messi’s World Cup legend was born. 2. Messi vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (2014)A screamer against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Maracana. | Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesAfter a frustrating 2010 World Cup where the posts and outstanding goalkeeper performances denied Messi from getting on the scoresheet, he arrived at Brazil in 2014 with a point to prove. A nice run and give-and-go with Gonzalo Higuaín was followed by a deft extra touch that saw two Bosnia and Herzegova defenders collide. Like in 2010, Messi’s shot hit the post, only this time the ball gracefully ricocheted into the back of the net, sending the iconic Maracana Stadium into an absolute frenzy in Argentina’s 2014 opener. 3. Messi vs. Iran (2014)Messi broke Iranian hearts with a wonderful goal. | Paul Gilham/Getty ImagesIran’s defensive game-plan against Argentina in the 2014 group stage flirted with perfection. Alejandro Sabella’s side seemed powerless to bypass a compact backline and the game appeared destined to finish scoreless.Only a moment of magic could’ve changed the outcome, and Messi provided just that, cutting in from the left and bending a shot into the top corner, breaking the deadlock deep into stoppage time. Iran’s hard work completely came undone thanks to Messi’s magic trick. 4. Messi vs. Nigeria (2014)Messi finally scored against Nigeria. | Ronald Martinez/Getty Images Messi would’ve likely scored in the 2010 World Cup had Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama not decided to have a career day, saving four Messi shots that were destined for the back of the net. Four years later Messi got his revenge, finally overcoming his foe, starting with a thumping hit into the roof of the net that gave Argentina the lead in its final game of the group stage. 5. Messi vs. Nigeria (2014)Lionel Messi’s first and only World Cup free-kick goal. | Adam Davy/EMPICS/Getty ImagesOnce Messi had gotten over his Enyeama curse, he decided to run up the score. After opening the scoring, he proceeded to score the lone free-kick goal on his World Cup resumé thus far, curling a strike that Enyeama didn’t even stretch to try and save, instead simply turning around and kicking the ball in frustration.6. Messi vs. Nigeria (2018)Messi’s lone strike in the 2018 World Cup was a thing of beauty. | VI Images/Getty ImagesThe less spoken about Argentina’s 2018 World Cup campaign under manager Jorge Sampaoli the better, yet Messi’s lone strike in Russia was majestic. Needing to beat Nigeria to progress past the group stage, Messi deliciously controlled Ever Banega’s floated delivery, shielded the ball away from a defender and tucked in Argentina’s opener with his weaker right foot. 7. Lionel Messi vs. Saudi Arabia (2022)The first penalty goal of Messi’s World Cup career came against Saudi Arabia in 2022. | Li Ga/Xinhua/Getty ImagesArgentina got off to a dream start in the 2022 World Cup thanks to Messi calmly scoring from the spot early in La Albiceleste’s Qatar curtain-raiser against Saudi Arabia—the first penalty goal of Messi’s World Cup career but certainly not his last.That dream start turned into a nightmare when Saudi Arabia scored twice inside the opening 10 minutes of the second half to stun Argentina. It’s the only World Cup game in Messi’s career in which La Albiceleste failed to win despite him finding the back of the net. 8. Messi vs. Mexico (2022)Messi’s (left) goal against Mexico ignited Argentina’s title run in 2022. | Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images“After that goal [against Mexico], it was like we loosened up, we liberated ourselves, and it was a release for everyone. We went back to being who we were, we depended on ourselves again and the picture changed,” Messi revealed about his goal against Mexico on the Miro de Atrás podcast.After losing to Saudi Arabia in its 2022 World Cup debut, Argentina needed to defeat Mexico by any means possible. The game was completely stuck until Messi found the bottom corner and elation ensued. Before Messi’s goal against El Tri, Argentina was “afraid,” as he himself admitted. After Messi’s goal, well, we’ll get to that.9. Messi vs. Australia (2022)Messi found the bottom corner against Australia in the 2022 round of 16. | Peter Byrne/PA Images/Getty ImagesHad Messi not been charging the box from the right wing, Nicolás Otamendi might still be chasing his dreadful first touch. Fortunately for the center back, the ball fell perfectly into Messi’s path and he did the rest, sliding a ball between the legs of a defender into the bottom corner to give Argentina the lead against Australia in the 2022 round of 16. The goal was Messi’s career first in the knockout rounds of the World Cup and served as a preview of things to come. 10. Messi vs. Netherlands (2022)Probably Messi’s most iconic World cup goal celebration came against the Netherlands in 2022. | Stephen McCarthy/FIFA/Getty ImagesAfter setting up Nahuel Molina’s opener with arguably the greatest assist of his career, Messi doubled Argentina’s advantage against the Netherlands in the 2022 quarterfinals with a penalty kick that left Andries Noppert standing like a statue. What happened next might be even more memorable, as Messi eventually made his way towards the Dutch bench and stood there, placing his hands on his ears, celebrating as if he was Juan Román Riquelme. The celebration, though, was directed at Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal due to some comments he made pre-match to which Messi took offense.The game then spiraled into chaos when the Netherlands mounted a late comeback. Argentina eventually won “The Battle of Lusail” in a penalty shootout where Messi once again kept his cool. 11. Messi vs. Croatia (2022)Messi started Argentina’s rout against Croatia in the 2022 semifinals. | Cui Nan/China News Service/VCG/Getty ImagesPenalties have never been one of Messi’s strongest traits, but he was clinical from the spot under immense pressure at Qatar 2022. In a campaign where he scored four penalties plus a further two in shootouts, his rocket into the top corner beyond the outstretched hands of the towering Dominik Livaković was the best of the bunch. He emphatically gave Argentina the lead against Croatia in the 2022 semifinal, a game La Albiceleste went on to win 3–0. 12. Messi vs. France (2022)Messi opened the scoring from the spot in the legendary 2022 World Cup final. | Visionhaus/Getty ImagesThe greatest World Cup final of all time—and one of the greatest soccer games in history—saw Messi give Argentina an early lead, sending Hugo Lloris the wrong way with a well-taken penalty. Argentina added a second and dominated the vast majority of the match. Then, Kylian Mbappé appeared and decided to spoil the party, scoring a late brace that sent the final to extra-time. 13. Messi vs. France (2022)Messi (middle) restored Argentina’s advantage in the 2022 final—momentarily. | Youssef Loulidi/Fantasista/Getty ImagesArgentina took a 3–2 lead in stoppage time of the 2022 final thanks to Messi’s second World Cup brace. The captain of Lionel Scaloni’s side was perfectly positioned to pounce on the rebound after Lloris denied Lautaro Martínez’s thundering strike from probably punching a hole in the net. Messi tapped-in the rebound despite Jules Koundé’s best effort to clear the ball. It was a rather anti-climactic goal given the context because it was unclear whether the ball had fully crossed the goal-line and there was a further review for a potential offside.The goal counted and for a moment it seemed like it was going to be the match-winner. Mbappé, though, had other ideas and once again brought France level when he completed his hat-trick minutes later. Despite Mbappé’s insistence on denying Messi from finally conquering the one trophy he so desperately wanted, Argentina prevailed and won the final in a penalty shootout where Messi scored La Albiceleste’s first. At long last, Messi delivered Argentina its third World Cup title, scoring seven goals in as many games at Qatar 2022. 14. Messi vs. Algeria (2026)Inevitable. pic.twitter.com/WMLqIGHfQ7— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) June 17, 2026It took Messi just 17 minutes of Argentina’s World Cup title defense to start padding his tournament legacy, firing the holders into the lead against Algeria with a cracking hit. Rodrigo De Paul threaded a gorgeous pass between the lines, Messi took off and then fired a shot past Luca Zidane, who likely could’ve done more to stop the shot had he not seemingly crouched as soon as Messi unleashed. Still, it was a powerful strike that saw Messi join Cristiano Ronaldo as the only players in history to score in five different World Cups. 15. Messi vs. Algeria (2026)Messi was there to capitalize on an egregious blunder from Algeria’s goalkeeper. | Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty ImagesIf you want to let Zidane off the hook for Messi’s opener, fine. But there’s nowhere the French legend’s son can hide when it comes to the action of Messi’s second. The goalkeeper made a mess of his attempt to clear Alexis Mac Allister’s rather tame shot, leaving the rebound on platter for Messi to simply pass the ball into the back of the net to complete his brace. Arguably the easiest goal Messi will score in his World Cup career sufficed for him to get within touching distance of Klose’s record. 16. Messi vs. Algeria (2026)After securing his brace, Messi’s hat-trick was all but inevitable. Nicolás González found Messi on the edge of the box and as soon as Argentina’s captain controlled the ball, the entire world knew what was coming next: two quick nudges to set himself up and a curling shot into the bottom corner to complete a historic, first career World Cup hat-trick. Under the lights of Arrowhead Stadium in the Kansas City night, Messi became the oldest player in World Cup history to score a hat-trick, simultaneously matching Klose’s all-time record. Exactly 20 years after opening his World Cup account against Serbia and Montenegro, Messi proved he’s aging like fine wine and had a record night—another one, for the greatest player of all time. READ THE LATEST WORLD CUP NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FCAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow