Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni says he is still in awe of Lionel Messi greatness after he scored a hat-trick in their World Cup opener against Algeria.

WATCH: Lionel Messi score hat-trick against Algeria

Messi netted a hat-trick to hand Argentina a 3-0 victory over Algeria in his sixth appearances at the World Cup.

The 38-year-old’s hat-trick has taken him level on 16 goals with former Germany striker Miroslav Klose as the joint all-time top scorer at the World Cup.

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has hailed the enduring brilliance of Lionel Messi, admitting that even after witnessing his greatness up close for years, the veteran superstar continues to leave everyone in awe.

Scaloni said Messi’s impact goes far beyond what he produces on the pitch, highlighting the special bond he shares with his teammates and the unique atmosphere he creates within the squad as Argentina continue their World Cup campaign.

“About Leo, it’s quite hard to explain,” Scaloni said.

“We are amazed with him still, although we get to see him on a daily basis and he’s been the best for 20 years, he still pulls it off every single match.

“You don’t have to be an Argentina fan to admire what he’s done at age 38.

“He’s playing with a group of friends, with people that are going to play with their heart for him.

“Whenever they need to have a conversation with him they can just approach him and it’s really hard to explain whatever he conveys and I could stay here with you for over an hour trying to explain exactly what he does, but you need to be there to really understand.

“You need to understand the atmosphere, the ambience.”