Messi Makes History: Hat-Trick Ties World Cup Scoring Record at 2026 World Cup

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## Lionel Messi Delivers a Masterclass for the Ages

Argentina’s Lionel Messi produced one of the greatest performances in World Cup history on Tuesday night, scoring a stunning hat-trick against Algeria to lead the defending champions to a 3-0 victory at Kansas City Stadium.

The 38-year-old magician didn’t just win the game — he rewrote the record books.

### Match Summary: Argentina 3-0 Algeria

### What Messi Achieved in One Night

🇦🇷 **First World Cup hat-trick** — After five tournaments, Messi finally bagged his first treble at the World Cup finals

🌍 **First player to appear at 6 World Cups** — 20 years to the day after his debut at Germany 2006

🏆 **200th Argentina appearance** — A milestone only he has reached

⚽ **16 World Cup goals** — Tied with Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the all-time record

📊 **Oldest player to score 2+ goals in a World Cup match**

### Key Moments

**17th Minute — The Opener:** Messi picked up the ball from Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, shifted onto his left foot 25 yards out, and curled a magnificent strike past Luca Zidane (son of France legend Zinedine Zidane). The ball had too much power for the keeper despite a full stretch. Messi was seen wiping away tears during the celebration — he later revealed the emotion came from “something completely unrelated to football” and personal difficulties in recent days.

**60th Minute — The Second:** A costly error from Zidane allowed the ball to roll into Messi’s path. With trademark composure, he slotted home from close range to move within one of Klose’s record.

**76th Minute — The Hat-Trick:** Substitute Nico Gonzalez teed up Messi on the edge of the box, and the captain arrowed a thunderous strike into the net. Kansas City Stadium erupted. Messi raised his arms to the sky as Argentina fans celebrated history.

### A Day for Superstars

Messi wasn’t the only star shining on Tuesday:

– **Kylian Mbappé** scored twice in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal, becoming France’s all-time leading scorer with 58 goals at just 27 years old. He now has 14 World Cup goals — just two behind Klose.
– **Erling Haaland** scored twice on his World Cup debut as Norway beat Iraq 4-1, ending Norway’s 10,220-day wait for a World Cup goal.

### Looking Ahead

Argentina next face Austria and Jordan in Group J as they aim to become only the third nation to successfully defend the World Cup. England kick off their campaign against Croatia on Wednesday, June 17.

### FAQ

**Q: Who holds the World Cup all-time scoring record?**
A: Lionel Messi (Argentina) and Miroslav Klose (Germany) are now tied at 16 goals each. Klose set the record at the 2014 World Cup.

**Q: Has anyone else appeared at 6 World Cups?**
A: No — Lionel Messi is the first player in men’s football history to feature at six different World Cup tournaments.

**Q: How many goals has Messi scored for Argentina?**
A: Messi’s hat-trick took his international tally past 130 goals for Argentina across 200 appearances.

**Q: When does Argentina play next?**
A: Argentina’s next Group J match is against Austria, followed by Jordan. The schedule will be confirmed by FIFA.

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