Lionel Messi ties men’s World Cup goals record with a hat trick as Argentina tops Algeria

Lionel Messi scored a hat trick in Argentina's 3-0 World Cup victory over Algeria, tying the men's World Cup career scoring record with Germany's Miroslav Klose. The emotional goals came on the 20th anniversary of Messi's World Cup debut. This performance also marked his 200th international appearance and his fifth consecutive World Cup game with a goal. Despite recent hamstring concerns, Messi demonstrated strong form, leading Argentina to a crucial opening win. The win positions Argentina well in their pursuit of consecutive World Cup titles.

Lionel Messi achieved a historic milestone in his sixth World Cup appearance, scoring a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina's 3-0 victory. This achievement occurred exactly 20 years after his World Cup debut. Messi became the first male player to participate in six World Cups, a record he will share with Cristiano Ronaldo and potentially Guillermo Ochoa. His first goal of the match, his 15th in World Cup history, equaled Kylian Mbappé's tournament goal tally. The match took place at Kansas City Stadium on Tuesday night, marking Messi's 200th international appearance.

Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick to lead holders Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup. The forward's performance marked his record sixth World Cup appearance and saw him become the joint-highest scorer in World Cup history with 16 goals. Messi opened the scoring with a powerful shot from the edge of the box, added a second from a rebound, and completed his hat-trick with another low drive. Algeria, who also had an early goal disallowed for offside, offered little threat throughout the match. Messi was substituted in the 79th minute to a standing ovation.