Lionel Messi made history again. The Argentina captain scored a hat trick in the 3-0 victory over Algeria in the Albiceleste’s debut in the 2026 World Cup and reached 16 goals in World Cups, equaling the all-time record of German Miroslav Klose.
The night in Kansas City had a special meaning for the Rosario star. In addition to becoming the first footballer to play in six editions of the World Cup, Messi found his way to a new legendary brand two decades after his World Cup debut in Germany 2006.
At 38 years old and just a few days shy of turning 39, the Inter Miami forward led the current world champion with a memorable performance that fuels Argentine hopes of defending the title won in Qatar 2022.
“It’s an honor,” Messi declared after the match. However, he minimized the weight of individual records and highlighted the collective value of the victory. “I am grateful to be among the best and for everything I was able to achieve,” he said.
The Argentine surpassed the Brazilian Ronaldo Nazário (15) in the historical ranking of World Cup scorers and reached the shared summit with Klose, while keeping in sight figures like Kylian Mbappé, who also shone this Tuesday with a double for France.
A debut full of emotions
The match started with intensity for Argentina. Messi scored in the first minutes, although the action was invalidated due to offside. Shortly after, the VAR disallowed an Algerian goal, avoiding an early surprise.
The opening of the scoring came in the 17th minute. Rodrigo De Paul filtered a precise pass and Messi took a powerful left foot shot from outside the area that left goalkeeper Luca Zidane, son of French legend Zinedine Zidane, no options.
The celebration was accompanied by a strong emotional charge. After the match, Messi revealed that he went through difficult days off the pitch and thanked his teammates for the support he received during that period.
Scaloni surrenders to his captain
The Argentine coach, Lionel Scaloni, once again praised his greatest figure.
“Messi will be the best until he wants,” said the coach, who acknowledged that the team faced the debut with the pressure of remembering the unexpected defeat against Saudi Arabia at the start of the World Cup in Qatar.
Argentina had to work to control Algeria’s attempts to react in the second half, but its captain’s hierarchy ended up definitively tilting the match.
The record was within reach
The second goal came after an error by Luca Zidane, who failed to control a long-range shot by Alexis Mac Allister. Attentive as always, Messi took advantage of the rebound to extend the lead.
The consecration of the night occurred in the 77th minute. From the edge of the area, the Argentine scored with precision to complete the first hat trick of his career in the World Cup and reach Klose at the top of the all-time scoring table.
Applauded by the more than 65,000 fans present at Arrowhead Stadium, Messi left the field aware of having added another unforgettable chapter to his career.
Now, the Argentine captain will have the opportunity to become the top solo scorer in World Cup history when he faces Austria and Jordan in the next Group J matches.
