Lionel Messi made history by scoring a hat trick to lead Argentina to a 3-0 win over Algeria, tying Miroslav Klose’s record for most men’s World Cup goals at 16. The 38-year-old’s treble his 11th international hat trick and his first at a World Cup also made him the oldest player to score three goals in a single World Cup game. Messi opened the scoring with a left-foot strike from outside the area, then added two more in the second half before being withdrawn to a standing ovation at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
The match also marked Messi’s 200th appearance for Argentina and made him the first player to feature at six World Cups. Emotion ran high: Messi cried after his opening goal and later said the tears were “something completely unrelated to football,” thanking teammates and staff for their support through difficult days. He downplayed the record, calling it “just stats,” while acknowledging the honor of being mentioned alongside players like Klose, Ronaldo and Mbappé.
Messi’s performance kept his streak alive he has now scored in five different World Cups and in five consecutive World Cup appearances.
Argentina dominated both the moment and the atmosphere: thousands of No.10 shirts filled the stadium and Kansas City’s local events erupted in Messi-themed celebrations. Teammates praised his influence on and off the pitch, with Rodrigo De Paul and Alexis Mac Allister calling him indispensable to the squad. Argentina now turn their attention to Group play, facing Austria in Dallas on June 22 before finishing their group against Jordan.
