Oliseh Hails Messi's Hat-Trick in World Cup Opener

Sunday Oliseh, a former captain of the Nigeria national football team, commended Lionel Messi's extraordinary performance during Argentina's 3-0 victory over Algeria in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Messi, who turned 39 the day before, scored a hat-trick, which allowed him to equal the record of 16 World Cup goals held by German legend Miroslav Klose.

Oliseh described Messi's display as "superhuman" and referred to him as an "AI version" of himself, emphasizing the remarkable nature of his achievements at the age of 38. He noted that Messi's ability to dominate at the highest level is unprecedented and highlighted the precision of Messi's movements and shooting, which distinguished his goals from mere tap-ins.

Oliseh's admiration for Messi reflects a long-standing respect, as he has observed Messi's career over the past 15 years.