World Cup as it happened: Messi sets tournament alight with historic hat-trick

That wraps up our live blog coverage of day six of the World Cup.

The action has been unbelievable, with Lionel Messi’s hat-trick trumping earlier braces from fellow superstars Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.

There is one game left today, with Australia taking on Jordan from 2pm AEST.

You can follow all the action in our match centre HERE. Over and out!

Austria: Alexander Schlager, David Alaba, Philipp Lienhart, Phillipp Mwene, Stefan Posch, Xaver Schlager, Nicolas Seiwald, Konrad Laimer, Marcel Sabitzer, Romano Schmid, Sasa Kalajdzic

Jordan: Yazeed Abu Laila, Abdullah Nasib, Yazan Al-Arab, Mohammad Abu Al-Nadi, Noor Al-Rawabdeh, Nizar Al-Rashdan, Mousa Al-Tamari, Ali Olwan, Ehsan Haddad, Muhannad Abu Taha, Ouda Al-Fakhouri

Lionel Messi has lit up the World Cup with a dazzling hat-trick for Argentina against Algeria in Kansas City.

The 38-year-old wonder added two second half goals to his first half strike to go top of the early golden boot race on Wednesday (AEST).

Messi is now equal with Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the highest goalscorer in World Cup history with 16.

Fellow superstars Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland had both scored doubles earlier on day six of the tournament.

France captain Mbappe, 27, has scored 14 World Cup goals.

Messi’s Argentina are the defending champions and outclassed Algeria 3-0 to make a statement that, despite an ageing squad, they are far from a spent force.

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Lionel Messi has two after a goalkeeping howler from Luca Zidane!

The son of the legendary Zinedine fumbled a long-range shot from Alexis Mac Allister and Messi was on hand to knock in the rebound.

He can’t have scored too many easier than that.

Messi then almost completed his hat-trick but Zidane partially redeemed himself with a spectacular save.

We are witnessing greatness and Messi hasn’t slowed down at 38.

Argentina lead 2-0 after 66 minutes in Kansas City with Algeria now having to really force the issue.

What a day it has been with Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland all scoring doubles.

So far, so good for world champions Argentina who go into halftime with a 1-0 lead.

That is thanks to Lionel Messi’s superb 17th minute strike.

Both teams had a goal disallowed for offside - Messi for Argentina and Fares Chaibi for Algeria.

Kansas City Stadium is usually known as Arrowhead Stadium, and is usually known as the home of Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs.

The megastar quarterback is in the house with wife Brittany today and the pair delivered the match ball before kickoff.

Mahomes is recovering from a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee, which he suffered in December.

It’s 1-0 to Argentina after 35 minutes.

This time Lionel Messi won’t be denied.

Argentina’s captain was allowed far too much space to roam by Algeria and he happily advanced to the edge of the penalty area before unleashing a magic left-footed strike that curled into the top-right corner of the goal.

Luca Zidane had no chance and Messi has his 14th World Cup goal at the age of 38. He is now Argentina’s youngest and oldest goalscorer at a World Cup.

It really feels like a World Cup now.

Big dogs Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are all dominating today.

Argentina lead 1-0 after 17 minutes.

“Messi is acting like it’s his first ever World Cup goal with the celebrations, and with the ability he has - he never seems to age,” former Everton midfielder Leon Osman said on BBC Radio 5.

And now Algeria have a goal scrubbed out for offside!

The world champions survive as Fares Chaibi’s lovely strike is now wiped off the scoreboard.

Replays show this one was even tighter.

Plenty of drama but it’s 0-0 after 10 minutes in Kansas City.

It took just five minutes for Lionel Messi to find the back of the net in Kansas City.

But the excitement was quickly dampened when the assistant referee correctly ruled Argentina’s icon had strayed - slightly - offside before applying his trademark brilliant finish.

An early warning shot for Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane.

Viral All Whites defender Tim Payne looks set to cash in on his huge popularity in South America by signing with Paraguayan champions Club Olimpia after the World Cup, with the reported move even getting the trademark “here we go” treatment from Fabrizio Romano.

The rumoured move, first reported by Sky Sports in the UK, would cap a whirlwind World Cup for the 32-year-old Wellington Phoenix fullback, who became an online sensation after being singled out by Argentina content creator El Scarso, for, ironically, being the least-known player at the tournament.

Payne had never heard of a community manager until three weeks ago. Now he has one helping run his social media accounts after becoming one of the breakout stars of the 2026 World Cup.

While All Whites captain Chris Wood featured on billboards outside SoFi Stadium, Payne was the player many neutrals came to see when New Zealand opened their World Cup campaign with a thrilling 2-2 draw against Iran in Los Angeles.

Outside the stadium, a Mexican father and son queued in customised Tim Payne shirts featuring the Phoenix defender’s face on the back and the slogan “No Payne, No Gain” on the front.

When Eli Just fronted reporters after scoring both of the All Whites’ goals in a record-breaking individual performance, a journalist from El Salvador asked whether Payne would be joining him, eager to speak to New Zealand’s viral sensation.

Kylian Mbappe entered the 2026 World Cup knowing another strong tournament could make him the competition’s all-time leading goal scorer.

At this rate, the Real Madrid superstar may get there next week.

Mbappe bagged a second-half brace in France’s 3-1 victory over Senegal in Group I to become France’s all-time leading scorer with 58 goals, one ahead of Olivier Giroud.

And by adding his 13th and 14th career World Cup goals, he moved past Pele and Lionel Messi and is within two of equaling Miroslav Klose for the all-time tournament record.

If a reminder was needed, this performance showed the world Mbappe remains its most explosive player as he attempts to help his country reach a third straight World Cup final.

“Kylian was very efficient. Ruthlessly efficient,” France manager Didier Deschamps said.

“He’s an iconic player. I’ve always said that. He can from time to time miss a game or two, but on one action, he really is able to tip the scales.”