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Back in the heyday of their greatest moments, at the top of their game, South Americans birthed a saying in Spanish when talking about Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. But, for the sake of brevity, I will translate it.
Ronaldo may be the best player in the world, but Messi? He’s from another planet.
On Tuesday evening, therefore, under the Kansas City sky — a city famously coined as the capital of American fútbol — Lionel Messi, in a record-breaking sixth World Cup, reminded America and the world of his extraterrestrial qualities, scoring his first hat trick of his World Cup career during Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria.
The three goals placed him at joint top of the list for most men’s World Cup goals (16) alongside Germany’s Miroslav Klose. A record he will surely break when La Albiceleste face Austria next Monday in Dallas.
What’s more, Messi — at 38 years and 357 days old — became the oldest men’s player to score a hat trick at a World Cup, passing Ronaldo by five years. He now also holds the record for the youngest and oldest Argentina goalscorer (18 years old in 2006 and 38 now) and has scored in five consecutive World Cup matches. If he scores again, he will have a new record.
Want another one? For Argentina, he is the first man from the national team to score in five straight World Cups, surpassing Hernán Crespo and Guillermo Stábile. It was his 11th overall treble for his national team.
The hat trick itself was quintessential Messi.
The opener came in the 17th minute, and it was a golden, left-footed rocket that was too much for Luca Zidane — the second son of Zinedine, who was there and could only marvel at what Leo had just done to his second-born.
The second, in the 60th minute, was just an example of his quick instincts after the aforementioned Zidane spilled the attempt from Alexis Mac Allister and Messi was first to react.
I want to remind everyone that he’s turning 39 in eight days, and his instincts remain intact.
Then came the cherry on top in the 76th minute, where Messi took the ball from outside the box, and it was almost as if Algeria had accepted its destiny.
Go ahead, Leo. It doesn’t matter what we do, you’re still going to score.
And he did, as the Argentina captain looked up and, without hesitation, placed it on the bottom right of Zidane’s goal.
The stadium erupted, and three minutes later, the world stood up to marvel and honor greatness as Messi was subbed off for Nico Paz. Some things, thought Lionel Scaloni, are better off with an earlier ending in order to fully appreciate them.
Bigger obstacles will surely come in the tournament for Argentina and Messi, who knows the most important part of this particular World Cup is to take care of his physical condition.
And as time waits for no man, we can only reflect on the fact that this indeed is his last tournament. But for tonight, in Argentina’s opening victory, as it looks to defend its glorious title, we thanked the fútbol gods once again that Lionel Messi has not left us.
He is very much here.
Luis Miguel Echegaray is the author of “Messi Mania,” his debut book about the World Cup champion, his incredible career and how his arrival to Inter Miami in 2023 impacted the U.S. sports landscape.
