Lionel Messi scored his first-ever FIFA World Cup finals hat-trick as Argentina cruised to a 3-0 victory over Algeria in Group J on Tuesday.

The 38-year-old superstar opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a trademark long-range strike.

He doubled the lead on the hour mark with a simple tap-in before completing his hat-trick 14 minutes from time with a composed low drive into the bottom-left corner.

With the three goals, Messi took his all-time World Cup finals tally to 16, equalling the record previously set by Germany legend Miroslav Klose during the 2014 tournament in Brazil.

The reigning champions dominated the match, with Messi once again underlining his enduring brilliance on the biggest stage despite his age.

The result strengthens Argentina’s position in Group J as they continue their title defence.