At the age of 38 and 357 days, he used a hat trick to tell the world that legends never end.

The cheers of 80000 people at Kansas City Stadium were deafening. On June 17, 2026, in the first round of Group J of the US Canada Mexico World Cup, defending champions Argentina faced Algeria. 38 year old Messi stands in the center of the field, and no one knows what kind of history he will write on this night.

01. Hat trick, three breaks for Zinedine Zidane, four major records

Only 5 minutes into the game, Messi scored against the Algerian goalkeeper's goal, but was deemed invalid due to offside. This is just the prelude before the storm.

In the 17th minute, De Boer intercepted and sent the ball, while Messi advanced to the top of the arc with the ball, scoring a stunning world wave long-range shot. The ball was thrown into the net like a shell, but the Algerian goalkeeper flew to save it but was powerless.

In the 60th minute, McAllister's long-range shot caused the goalkeeper to slip, and Messi's quick reflexes caught up with the missed shot.

In the 76th minute, Messi received a cross from Gonzalez at the forefront of the penalty area and scored another long-range goal, completing a hat trick.

Three goals, three punctures through the goal. Standing across from him is the 28 year old Luca Zidane, the second son of French legend Zinedine Zidane.

The goalkeeper who appeared wearing a mask became the backdrop of Messi's legend on this night. If it weren't for the offside ball being blown away at the beginning, Messi would have almost staged a 'big four'.

That night, Messi broke four epic records:

The total number of goals scored in the World Cup has reached 16, surpassing the "alien" Ronaldo (15 goals), equaling the German legend Klose (16 goals), and tied for first place on the World Cup all-time top scorer list

Becoming the first player in history to participate in six consecutive Men's World Cups, from Germany in 2006 to the United States, Canada, and Mexico in 2026, he has never been absent for 20 years

At the age of 38 years and 357 days, he became the oldest player in World Cup history to score a hat trick, significantly breaking Cristiano Ronaldo's record of 33 years and 122 days

We have reached the milestone of the 200th game for the national team and become the sole holder of the national team's appearance record in football.

In the 78th minute, Messi was replaced and the entire stadium was filled with cheers and applause from the fans. 80000 spectators witness history together.

02. From the age of 18 to 38, time crowned the legend

In the 2006 World Cup in Germany, an 18-year-old inexperienced youth came on as a substitute and scored his first World Cup goal. At that time, he was just a rising star in Barcelona.

In the 2026 World Cup in Mexico, 38 year old Messi will start as the captain. Over the course of 20 years, he alone set the record for the youngest and oldest goals scored by the Argentine team in the World Cup.

After the game, Messi posted in Chinese on social media: 'I'm so happy to have a good start in the first game! Thank you to everyone for their love.'.

When asked about the significance of a record, Messi's response was both casual and powerful: "I don't really care about records. I'm honored to be in this position. However, this is just data, that's all

Messi shed tears after scoring the goal. He explained to ESPN, "This matter has nothing to do with football. I went through a difficult and complicated period. But anyway, I am grateful to the national team and all my teammates because they have always supported me and given me a lot of strength to get through this difficult time

When his peers have already retired and the new generation is striving to catch up, 38 year old Messi is still breaking records and creating legends. Mbappe's sharpness and Haaland's strength are both brilliant footnotes of the new generation in football, but in the face of Messi's 20-year World Cup epic, they are ultimately just fleeting background light and shadow.

When asked if it was possible to participate in the World Cup for the seventh time, Messi bluntly replied, "No, definitely not

This may be his last World Cup. And he used a hat trick to make the farewell look dignified enough.

03. The Business Empire and Era Symbols of the Ball King

Messi's commercial value is as astonishing as his dominance on the field.

According to Forbes' latest global athlete income list, Messi's total income in the past year reached $140 million, ranking third on the global athlete income list. His income structure is extremely balanced, with arena income and commercial income each amounting to $70 million.

At Miami International Club, although his guaranteed annual salary is "only" $28.3 million, the contract includes multiple long-term benefits. Relying on exclusive sharing agreements between Major League Soccer and platforms such as Adidas and AppleTV, the actual contract value far exceeds the book value.

Outside of the arena, Messi is a sought after partner by major brands. He has been endorsing Adidas, Budweiser, Mastercard, Luxe, and Mengniu for a long time. This year, he also added Mengniu's Meiri Xianyu and Jinbawang Battery. In April of this year, he completed the acquisition of Spanish 5th tier league team Cornelia Club, officially transitioning from a player to a boss. Not relying on high salaries, relying on profit sharing; Not seeking explosiveness, seeking stability, this is Messi's business philosophy.

The heat of the World Cup has directly driven commercial value. On the DeWu APP, the starting price for Messi's personally signed jersey is as high as 25000 yuan, and the starting price for the signed star card is 26000 yuan. The average transaction price of the No. 10 jersey for the Argentine national team soared from 755 yuan on May 19th to 988 yuan on June 17th, an increase of 233 yuan in less than a month, with a trading volume of over 4000 pieces.

This is Messi! Not only the king on the field, but also the top player in the business world. According to Forbes, his net worth has reached $1.1 billion, ranking alongside Cristiano Ronaldo on the Forbes Billionaires list.

From the age of 18 to 38, from a young boy to a football legend, from the field to a commercial empire, Messi defined an era in 20 years.

On the night of June 17, 2026, at the age of 38, he stood on the stage of the World Cup and told the world with three goals:

Legend never ends.

*图片来自网络，侵联删