India, June 18 -- Lionel Messi has announced his arrival at the 2026 World Cup in spectacular fashion, scoring his first-ever hat-trick in the tournament. With his 39th birthday approaching later this month, the Argentine continues to defy expectations and remains the driving force behind Argentina's pursuit of another title.

Messi inspired the defending champions to a commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria, delivering a performance that reminded everyone why he remains one of the greatest players the game has ever seen. His treble took him to 16 World Cup goals, moving him past Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario and level with Germany's Miroslav Klose as the tournament's all-time leading scorer. It was another unforgettable night in Messi's ext...