'Greatest of All Time': Bhaichung Bhutia Salutes Messi After Historic World Cup Feat
'Greatest of All Time': Bhaichung Bhutia Salutes Messi After Historic World Cup Feat Published By, Last Updated: June 17, 2026, 16:52 IST Bhaichung Bhutia is
'Greatest of All Time': Bhaichung Bhutia Salutes Messi After Historic World Cup Feat Published By, Last Updated: June 17, 2026, 16:52 IST Bhaichung Bhutia is a big Lionel Messi fan and is backing Argentina to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Bhaichung Bhutia (left) and Lionel Messi (Agencies) Lionel Messi launched Argentina’s title defence at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in spectacular fashion, scoring a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria in Kansas City on Tuesday. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history, Messi also set a new record by becoming the oldest player to score a hat-trick at the tournament. India football icon Bhaichung Bhutia expressed his admiration for the Argentine captain, hailing him as the greatest of all time. “It’s a big achievement. He’s (Messi) the greatest of all time," Bhaichung said while speaking during the fourth edition of News18 India’s Amrit Ratna Saman 2026 held in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The 38-year-old Messi has now scored 16 goals across a record six FIFA World Cup appearances and is now level with Miroslav Klose’s all-time tournament scoring record. Given his form, it appears only a matter of time before he surpasses the German legend’s mark. The hat-trick against Algeria was the 61st of Messi’s illustrious career, his 11th for Argentina and his first at a World Cup. It also extended his remarkable run to five consecutive World Cup matches with a goal. The Algeria game marked another milestone for Messi, as he made the 200th appearance of his international career. He made his Argentina debut in 2005 at the age of 18. Only two players have earned more international caps – Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who is set to make his 229th appearance on Wednesday, and Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa, who finished his career with 202 caps.
With global interest in football continuing to grow, Bhaichung also spoke about the development of the sport in India. He emphasised the need for stronger grassroots programmes and a long-term vision to raise the standard of Indian football. “It will take time. Working hard is very important. We need to get our structure and system right in terms of football. The advent of Indian Super League has bettered the standard of Indian football. Grassroots development and long-term planning are important. FIFA has provided eight Asian teams the chance to compete at the World Cup this year and that makes things a bit easier, in terms of playing on the biggest stage," Bhutia said. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Feroz Khan Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent.
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