New Delhi, June 17 -- June 17, 2026, is a day in football history that will not be forgotten. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo both appeared at the 6th FIFA World Cup. But, once again, Messi got there first.

Argentina kicked off against Algeria at 6:30 AM IST. Messi took the pitch and became the first male player to appear in 6 World Cups.

The milestone arrived on his 200th international cap. It also spanned exactly 20 years since his tournament debut as an 18-year-old in Germany in 2006.

He did not stop at the appearance record. Messi scored all 3 goals in Argentina's 3-0 victory. He netted in the 17th, 60th and 76th minutes. The hat-trick was the first of his World Cup career.

It made him the oldest player to score a World Cup hat...