Lionel Messi delivered another masterclass on football’s biggest stage, scoring a sensational hat-trick to lead Argentina to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Algeria at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Argentine captain’s brilliant performance saw him reach a major milestone, moving level with German legend Miroslav Klose as the joint highest goal scorer in FIFA World Cup history with 16 goals.
Playing in his sixth World Cup, Messi produced the first World Cup hat-trick of his illustrious career and once again proved why he remains one of the greatest players the game has ever seen.
The Inter Miami star was simply unstoppable as he single-handedly dismantled the Algerian defense, helping defending champions Argentina make a perfect start to their campaign.
Messi’s achievement comes just hours after France star Kylian Mbappé scored twice against Senegal to move to 14 World Cup goals, further intensifying the race among football’s biggest stars.
Despite the historic accomplishment, Messi remained humble after the match, insisting that records and statistics are not his main focus.
“It’s an honor being up there for what it means, being alongside Klose and Ronaldo, who is there also, but it doesn’t mean anything,” Messi said.
He also acknowledged Mbappé’s rise up the rankings, noting that the French forward is quickly closing in on the all-time record.
“Mbappé is there too, he scored twice today. At the end of the day, they are stats and nothing more,” he added.
Messi went on to praise Brazilian legend Ronaldo, describing him as one of the greatest players he has ever watched.
With Argentina aiming to successfully defend their World Cup title, Messi’s form will give fans plenty of reasons to believe another deep tournament run is possible.
For now, however, the football world is celebrating another historic chapter in the remarkable career of a player who continues to rewrite the record books.
