Lionel Messi equalled the World Cup’s all-time goalscoring record after netting a hat-trick in Argentina’s victory over Algeria as the reigning champions began their title defence in style.
The Argentine captain scored all three goals in a hard-fought win at the Kansas City Stadium, taking his World Cup tally to 16 goals and drawing level with Germany legend Miroslav Klose as the tournament’s joint-leading scorer.
Messi Makes History Again
Making his 200th appearance for Argentina, Messi delivered a vintage performance and registered the first World Cup hat-trick of his illustrious career.
The 38-year-old opened the scoring in the 17th minute after collecting a pass from Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul before curling a superb effort beyond goalkeeper Luca Zidane, son of France legend Zinedine Zidane.
His second goal arrived on the hour mark when he capitalised on a mistake from the Algerian goalkeeper, while he completed his treble in the 76th minute with a powerful strike from the edge of the box.
The hat-trick saw Messi equal Klose’s record of 16 World Cup goals and become the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick.
Argentina Begin Defence With Victory
Argentina were forced to work for the win against a determined Algerian side in their opening Group J fixture.
Both teams had goals disallowed during an eventful opening period, but Messi’s brilliance ultimately proved decisive as the three-time world champions secured all three points.
The victory was significant for Argentina, marking the first time they have won their opening World Cup match as defending champions after losing their first games in both 1982 and 1990.
Lionel Scaloni’s side will now turn their attention to upcoming group-stage matches against Austria and Jordan.
First Player to Feature in Six World Cups
The match also saw Messi become the first footballer in history to appear in six FIFA World Cups.
Having already led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner continues to add to his remarkable legacy on the international stage.
Despite approaching his 39th birthday, Messi showed little sign of slowing down, producing a performance that highlighted both his quality and determination to guide Argentina to another world title.
Record Within Reach
With his World Cup tally now standing at 16 goals, Messi has the opportunity to claim the record outright when Argentina face Austria in their next match.
His latest display has reinforced Argentina’s status as one of the tournament favourites and underlined the enduring influence of a player widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers in history.
For now, Messi shares the record with Klose. However, based on his current form, few would bet against him becoming the World Cup’s leading scorer outright before the tournament is over.
