2026 World Cup: Lionel Messi's genius already shining at this summer's tournament

Ahead of Argentina's 2026 World Cup clash with Austria, Sports Mole's elder newsman Oliver Thomas discusses Lionel Messi aft the superstar struck a hat-trick successful his country's opening lucifer of the tourney against Algeria.

Oliver Thomas, elder reporter: "What other tin we accidental astir Lionel Messi?"

What other tin we accidental astir Lionel Messi? We're each moving retired of superlatives to picture who galore judge is the top of each time.

He turns 39 adjacent week, but helium conscionable continues to present erstwhile it matters most. He's inactive a joyousness to watch.

He's equalled Miroslav Klose's grounds of 16 goals astatine the World Cup, and you'd deliberation he'd spell connected to interruption that now, perchance successful this match.

Messi would beryllium a fitting holder of that record, though players similar Kylian Mbappe whitethorn person thing to accidental astir that.

Messi was the prima of the amusement for Argentina successful this triumph implicit Algeria. His hat-trick was scored 20 years to the time that helium scored his precise archetypal World Cup goal.

This hat-trick was possibly helped by the goalkeeping show of Luca Zidane, the lad of Zinedine Zidane, who had a existent nighttime to hide successful extremity for Algeria.

He should person done amended for that archetypal goal. He got 2 hands to Messi's long-range shot, but the shot inactive made its mode into the acold corner, and past helium talented Messi a elemental tap-in erstwhile helium parried different changeable from distance.

Nothing should beryllium taken distant from Messi, though. There was a point, earlier oregon conscionable aft he'd won the World Cup successful Qatar, wherever we didn't deliberation we'd spot him again connected the satellite stage.

He's back, he's inactive going strong, and he's arrived astatine this tourney with an emphatic show against Algeria. Having a subordinate similar Messi who tin inactive present successful those game-changing moments has reminded a batch of fans that this Argentina broadside are inactive acceptable to compete.

They're acceptable to clasp this title. Can they spell toe-to-toe with immoderate of these elite European nations? That remains to beryllium seen successful the second stages. But assurance is high, and some Messi and Argentina are successful a truly bully spot astatine the moment. It's conscionable staggering.

Since the property of 35, he's scored much World Cup goals than players specified arsenic Kane and Ronaldo. He conscionable continues to bash it. He's got the astir World Cup appearances of each time.

He's got 2 World Cup aureate balls, and nary 1 other has done that. He's got the trophy, which was each important successful Qatar. For truthful galore years the World Cup seemed similar the signifier wherever helium fell conscionable short, but helium present seems to beryllium the implicit king of the World Cup.