In a FIFA World Cup group-stage match against Algeria, Messi scored a hat-trick. Statistics show that South American players have scored 12 hat-tricks in the FIFA World Cup, with the last four all achieved by Argentine players.

According to statistics, this is the 12th hat-trick by a CONMEBOL player in the FIFA World Cup (Argentina 5, Brazil 3, Uruguay 3, Peru 1), with all of the last four completed by Argentine players: Messi in 2026 (vs. Algeria), Higuain in 2010 (vs. South Korea), and Batistuta in 1994 (vs. Greece) and 1998 (vs. Jamaica).