Argentina captain Lionel Messi delivered a masterclass performance on Tuesday in Kansas City, scoring a hat-trick as his side secured a dominant 3–0 victory over Algeria in the 2026 World Cup.
The 38-year-old forward struck in the 17th, 60th and 76th minutes to match the tournament’s all-time scoring record of 16 goals, previously held by Germany’s Miroslav Klose. The feat also made him the oldest player to record a World Cup hat-trick, nearly two decades after his debut at the 2006 edition.
His latest treble marked his 11th international hat-trick and his first ever in a World Cup match, further cementing his legacy on football’s biggest stage.
Following the match, Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister praised Messi’s influence, describing him as indispensable to the team’s structure and performance, while stressing the need to build the squad around his strengths.
Algeria defender Aïssa Mandi admitted his team had struggled to contain the Argentine star, noting that despite efforts to limit his impact, Messi’s quality proved decisive.
Messi, speaking after the game, expressed satisfaction at reaching the milestone, calling it an honour to share the record with some of football’s greatest names. He added that the achievement was only part of his ongoing journey at the tournament.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner now stands on the brink of becoming the outright top scorer in World Cup history as Argentina continue their title defence at the 2026 tournament hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico.