Messi Hat-Trick Equals Klose World Cup Scoring Record
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- Lionel Messi scored his first World Cup hat-trick in Argentina's 3-0 win over Algeria, drawing level with Miroslav Klose's record of 16 World Cup goals and earning a standing ovation as he was substituted in the 76th minute.
- Messi became the first man in history to feature at six World Cups, with the match falling exactly 20 years after his debut as an 18-year-old at Germany 2006 and marking his 200th appearance for Argentina.
- At 38, Messi became the oldest player to score two goals at a World Cup, adding to the 10 World Cup goals he has scored since turning 35 — more than Harry Kane, Diego Maradona, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Thierry Henry have each scored in total.
- Messi escaped a red card in the first half when his studs caught Aissa Mandi's heel, with neither referee Szymon Marciniak nor VAR intervening; Thierry Henry defended the challenge as a legitimate football action while Nedum Onuoha called it a missed red.
- Kansas City Stadium hosted the match, where Patrick Mahomes watched from the stands and Argentina fans remained long after the final whistle in a sea of blue and white, with many wearing Messi's name on their shirts.
- Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni said he lacked words to describe Messi, adding: "For 20 years, he's had us used to seeing things like this and he inspires everyone who watches him play."
Why it matters: Messi tied Klose's all-time World Cup goals record on the exact 20th anniversary of his debut and his 200th cap, cementing his claim as the greatest international scorer in tournament history just as Argentina begins another title defense. The red-card non-call mattered because a sending-off would have derailed both Messi's individual chase for the scoring record and Argentina's tournament path.
