CONMEBOL Libertadores · Goalkeeper · #42 · Brazil · 20 yrs
Lionel Messi’s magnificent hat-trick against Algeria at the 2026 World Cup caught the attention of Norway superstar Erling Haaland. Lionel Messi put on a masterclass, netting a sensational hat-trick to power Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Algeria at Kansas City Stadium for the 2026 World Cup debut, and his elite performance drew an instant reaction from Norwegian striker Erling Haaland. “Messi is a madman,” the Manchester City forward posted on his Snapchat account, adding a crown emoji in a nod to the Argentine captain’s magical night. Haaland’s viral reaction wasn’t the only high-profile praise the captain’s masterclass pulled in. Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni was completely awestruck by Messi’s performance on the pitch, pointing out that it is the exact same level of magic he has been putting on display for the last 20 years. With his spectacular hat-trick, Messi shattered Cristiano Ronaldo’s record as the oldest player in World Cup history to score a hat-trick. While the Portuguese icon set the previous milestone at 33 years old during a thrilling 3-3 draw against Spain at Russia 2018, the Argentine maestro raised the bar by achieving the feat at 38 years old. Messi’s legendary performance also rewrote the history books, as the Argentine star matched Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 16 goals. 🚨📲 Erling Haaland on Snapchat: “Messi is a madman”. 👑 pic.twitter.com/NyKUB1vIw6— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 17, 2026 Messi breaks World Cup ‘curse’ for Argentina Argentina’s opening-day triumph carries a profound historical significance, exorcising a notorious ghost from the country’s soccer folklore. Following both of their previous World Cup titles (1978 and 1986), La Albiceleste had infamously stumbled into their subsequent title defenses. After winning the World Cup, they lost their opening match both times (to Belgium in 1982 and Cameroon in 1990). By taking care of business in Kansas City, Messi spearheaded a deeply therapeutic victory that shatters that historic jinx once and for all.
Argentina rose to the occasion, and so did Lionel Messi, who in his 200th cap took another step towards solidifying his place as the greatest footballer in the history of the sport, scoring three splendid goals and tying Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the all-time goal scoring mark in World Cup play (16), the performance coming just hours after France’s Kylian Mbappé leapfrogged him, with 14. The Inter Miami midfielder also became the first male player to appear at six World Cups, a record that feels certain to be equalled by Cristiano Ronaldo when Portugal begin play. Messi had been recovering from a muscle injury in recent weeks but any doubt surrounding the Argentinian captain’s status was quickly wiped away when he was named to Lionel Scaloni’s starting XI, and those doubts were ancient history once the match began.
Lionel Messi found the back of the net for Argentina against Algeria, establishing a standalone record by scoring against 11 different nations in World Cup history. Lionel Messi struck a magnificent opener against Algeria in Argentina’s Group J debut at the 2026 World Cup to give his side a first-half lead—and in doing so, he claimed an incredible milestone by scoring against an 11th distinct opponent in tournament history. Heading into this edition of the World Cup, the legendary talisman shared the record at 10 unique victims alongside Jürgen Klinsmann, Ronaldo Nazário, and Miroslav Klose. However, Messi officially shattered the deadlock and the history books at Kansas City Stadium in Argentina’s game against Algeria, rewriting the record all for himself. Over his iconic international career, the Argentine captain has now struck World Cup goals against Serbia, Mexico, Nigeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Croatia, Australia, the Netherlands, France, Saudi Arabia, and Algeria. MESSI SCORES ARGENTINA’S FIRST GOAL OF THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP! 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/JyNwqGCaFU— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 17, 2026 Messi achieves more records with goal vs Algeria In addition to his unique 11-team scoring milestone, Messi unlocked a flurry of other historical achievements the second his match-opener hit the back of the net against Algeria. By rifling home a vintage strike from distance, Leo matched Brazilian icon Roberto Rivellino for the most World Cup goals scored from outside the box with both legends now sitting on five. The Argentine maestro also cemented his place in the tournament’s ultimate pantheon of longevity. He has now joined eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo as the only players in World Cup history to score at least one goal across five different editions of the tournament. Ronaldo, however, will have an immediate opportunity later in this tournament to stretch that mark and become the standalone king of six distinct scoring editions, as Portugal has to debut yet in North America. Furthermore, the 39-year-old superstar completely shattered the absolute record for the longest span between a player’s first and last World Cup goals. Exactly 20 years to the day—June 16, 2006—a teenage Messi scored his first-ever tournament goal against Serbia. Two decades later on June 16, 2026, his scoring timeline remains completely unrivaled on the world stage.
His team and opponents laud him, but Wednesday’s game with the DRC is a test of his powers at a sixth World CupInside the home of Houston’s world-famous rodeo, Cristiano Ronaldo enters the last-chance saloon. His sixth World Cup will, with no little thanks to Fifa’s munificence, begin on Wednesday against the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and one of international football’s longest-running soap operas begins winding towards its denouement. Portugal have rarely looked better equipped to grant him the crowning achievement of his career and the question, as ever, concerns who is carrying whom.One assumption seems reasonable: Ronaldo could wield a huge influence over the trophy’s ultimate destination. It remains to be seen whether that is channelled positively. Portugal can field arguably the best first-choice midfield in this summer’s competition, an experienced defence and an admirable array of wide forwards. At the heart of their attack stands, depending on your perspective, either a free-scoring icon primed to fire them all the way or a 41-year-old passenger whose presence sucks an otherwise fluent team into an inescapable void. Continue reading...
With his brace against Iraq, Erling Haaland has now matched Lionel Messi's World Cup single-game feat but fell short of Cristiano Ronaldo's mark Erling Haaland has fully embraced his role as the talisman for Norway as the nation makes its triumphant return to the World Cup after a 28-year hiatus. With a stellar brace in his tournament debut against Iraq, the Manchester City superstar instantly equaled Lionel Messi’s career-high for goals in a single World Cup match, though he fell just short of matching Cristiano Ronaldo’s personal benchmark. Norway opened the scoring in the 29th minute when David Moller Wolfe delivered an absolute dime of a cross, allowing Haaland to drift into space and bury his first career World Cup goal. Then, in the 43rd minute, Haaland’s relentless high press forced a calamitous mistake; after intercepting a sloppy backpass from Zaid Tahseen, he intercepted a desperate clearing attempt from goalkeeper Jalal Hassan to easily secure his first-half brace. By netting twice against Iraq, Haaland drew level with Messi’s single-game World Cup scoring ceiling. Despite logging 26 career appearances on the world stage for Argentina and sitting as one of the tournament’s most prolific icons with 13 total goals, the legendary playmaker has surprisingly never surpassed two goals in a single World Cup fixture. Across his five tournament appearances, Messi has hit that two-goal limit exactly twice. His first World Cup brace came during a breathless 3-2 group-stage victory over Nigeria in 2014, while his second arrived on the grandest stage of all in the 2022 final against France, where he converted an early penalty before adding a crucial extra-time strike. Erling Haaland #9 of Norway. Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup goal mark While Cristiano Ronaldo holds the crown as the most prolific goalscorer in soccer history with 970 career tallies, his World Cup production stands at a relatively modest eight goals in 22 appearances. Nevertheless, that hasn’t stopped the Portuguese icon from carving out his own unique piece of tournament history. Ronaldo’s personal single-game high stands at three, courtesy of a legendary hat trick against rivals Spain in a thrilling 3-3 group-stage draw in 2018. With that iconic performance, Ronaldo etched his name into the record books as the oldest player to ever score a World Cup hat trick, doing so at 33 years and 130 days old.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo changed football and could finally cap off their legendary careers by meeting in Kansas City, writes Miguel Delaney. But age has caught up with them, meaning this would be a World Cup clash with a difference
WORLD CUP 2026: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo changed football and could finally cap off their legendary careers by meeting in Kansas City, writes Miguel Delaney. But age has caught up with them, meaning this would be a World Cup clash with a difference
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to feature in his sixth World Cup for Portugal, and has calmed concerns around his fitness ahead of their opener. The post ‘Have you not seen my matches?’ – Ronaldo brimming with confidence ahead of World Cup appeared first on SoccerNews.
For decades, Florentino Perez has been associated with football’s biggest transfer headlines. From Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane to Cristiano Ronaldo and Jude Bellingham, the Real Madrid president ...
Guillermo Ochoa reflected on joining Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the only players in soccer history to make six World Cup rosters: "It's something difficult to imagine." Guillermo Ochoa has officially made history at the 2026 World Cup, becoming the first player ever to appear at six different editions of the tournament, a record he is set to share with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi once both make their first appearances. Standing alongside two of the greatest players the sport has ever produced in that exclusive category, the Mexican legend captured the magnitude of the moment, calling it “something difficult to imagine.“ Ochoa first appeared on a Mexican World Cup roster in 2006 and has been part of every squad since, featuring in the 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and now 2026 editions. While Messi and Ronaldo share the same journey and are expected to join him in the record books once their respective opening games are played, it was Ochoa who was first to formally claim the milestone. Asked what it means to share such a distinction with two of the sport’s all-time greats, Ochoa was measured and gracious: “Well let’s see, they are extraordinary players, it’s not that I’m comparing myself to them, but well, at least in that particular World Cup category, it will be there for history.“ For Ochoa, the significance extends beyond personal pride. “It’s something difficult to imagine at the beginning, and I am very happy because the two of them are extraordinary. What they have done for football is wonderful, and I’m happy to share it with them and that a Mexican is up there,” he concluded. Sexto mundial para @yosoy8a ✅Y es un orgullo para él pertenecer a esta parte de la historia del fútbol ⚽️#DAZNMundial pic.twitter.com/OE6DZ3FNgo— DAZN Fútbol (@DAZNFutbol) June 11, 2026 Ochoa’s journey across six World Cups The one distinction between Ochoa and his record-sharing counterparts is that, while he was part of Mexico’s squads in 2006 and 2010, he did not see a single minute of action in either tournament. In Germany in 2006, where Mexico were eliminated by Argentina in the Round of 16, Ochoa served as the backup to Oswaldo Sanchez, who started all three group stage matches. A similar role awaited him in South Africa 2010, with Oscar Perez occupying the starting position as Mexico again fell to Argentina in the Round of 16. He made his mark on the game at Brazil 2014, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, becoming one of the tournament’s most iconic goalkeepers in that stretch. With his return to action in 2026 still awaited, Ochoa’s tally stands at 11 World Cup appearances, 12 goals conceded and four clean sheets. Ochoa back on the substitutes’ bench Despite widespread expectations that Ochoa would start Mexico’s opening match against South Africa, head coach Javier Aguirre ultimately chose Raul Rangel as his starting goalkeeper. While Ochoa now holds the record for six World Cup appearances as a squad member, being kept out of the action once again gives the milestone a bittersweet edge. For the first time since South Africa 2010, Ochoa finds himself back in the role of backup at a World Cup. But his spirit appears intact. “It’s part of life. We grow older and it’s natural in football and anywhere else. I take it in stride. These are different stages. In the other World Cups I was at a different moment, playing at a different moment, at a different age. Also, in my first World Cup I was very young. These are different stages,” he said in the mixed zone.
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Happy GWC Day everyone! Sure, Bigger Cup may have become the pinnacle of football in the 21st century, but nothing stirs the child within like the beginning of a Geopolitics World Cup. The 23rd edition kicks off on Thursday when co-hosts Mexico face South Africa at the Azteca Stadium, a venue that is a World Cup Proustian rush all on its own. The two greatest players of all time, Pelé and Diego Maradona, both won the World Cup in that stadium. Kylian Mbappé, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lamine Yamal and the other modern greats won’t be able to do that this year, as the final is being played in the USA USA USA. As you may have read, that country is currently run by a disinfectant-peddling despot, and its approach to inclusivity has been one of many controversies heading into the tournament. Continue reading...
