KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Lionel Messi etched his name into the history books on Tuesday night, matching Miroslav Klose’s record for the most men’s World Cup goals at 16 after scoring a hat trick that propelled Argentina to a dominant 3-0 victory over Algeria.
This hat trick marks the 11th of Messi’s international career and his first ever in a World Cup. At 38 years old, he also became the oldest player to score three goals in a single World Cup match. He exited the match late in the second half to a thunderous ovation from the primarily Argentine crowd at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
“Being up there with Klose and [Brazil’s] Ronaldo is an honor, but it doesn’t mean much to me,” Messi reflected post-match. “[Kylian] Mbappé is there too; he scored twice today. In the end, they’re just stats.”
“Competing alongside them is an honor, but it doesn’t carry weight for me. Ronaldo, who is one of the greats that I looked up to, isn’t at the top for me. So it’s just numbers,” he expressed.
When Messi took to the field for defending champion Argentina’s opening group stage match, marking his 200th appearance for the national team, he also became the first player to participate in six World Cups.
With this feat, Messi surpassed the previous record of five World Cups held by Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, as well as Antonio Carbajal, Andrés Guardado, and Rafael Márquez from Mexico, and Lothar Matthäus from Germany. (Ronaldo is expected to match this mark during Portugal’s opener against Congo on Wednesday.)
Messi opened the scoring for Argentina in the first half with a left-footed shot from just outside the box. He then netted two more in the second half, rounding off his hat trick and equaling Klose’s record of 16 goals for Germany.
The Argentina captain became emotional after his first goal.
“Why did I cry? It was something unrelated to football,” Messi explained after the match. “I’ve had some tough days, and I’m thankful for my entire team and the staff who have supported me through it all.”
These goals came exactly 20 years after Messi’s World Cup debut for Argentina, where he also scored, making him only the second player to find the net in five different World Cups.
Argentina’s victory also means that Messi is now tied with Klose for the most World Cup wins, with a total of 17.
This game marked Messi’s fifth consecutive World Cup match with a goal, despite concerns regarding his fitness prior to the tournament after he exited an MLS match early with muscle fatigue back in May.
“I’m extremely happy with the journey I’ve had,” Messi added. “What I’m experiencing now is the icing on the cake. I am truly grateful for this fantastic group; I enjoy it immensely.”
Argentina has set up its training camp in the Kansas City area, and Messi has become a local sensation ever since La Albiceleste arrived a couple of weeks ago.
On game day, thousands of fans donned his No. 10 jersey as they made their way into the home stadium of the NFL’s Chiefs, singing praises to their beloved Rosario native. Meanwhile, at a watch party downtown in the Power & Light District, a goat adorned with an Argentina jersey made a surprise appearance on stage alongside former NFL quarterback and current Fox broadcaster Jameis Winston.
This humorous moment seemed to foreshadow Messi’s stellar performance, as his argument for being soccer’s GOAT continues to gain traction with each World Cup goal.
Messi’s hat trick coincided with a day when Erling Haaland and Mbappé both scored twice for wins with Norway and France, but Messi’s brilliance stood out.
For his teammates who have watched Messi perform throughout his career, Tuesday’s achievement was both extraordinary and expected.
“Having Leo is an advantage because he motivates the group. It’s about who he is,” said Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul. “He doesn’t focus on personal records; he prioritizes the team, which is incredible for us.”
Alexis Mac Allister remarked, “Words can’t capture his greatness. If anyone believed this team would perform better without Leo, today proved that’s not the case. He is our most vital player, and we must build our team around him, and that’s what we’re doing.”
Argentina will face Austria in Dallas on June 22 before concluding group play against Jordan.
“The first matches of a World Cup are always challenging, and we’re seeing that no one is giving anything away,” Messi noted. “It’s a competitive World Cup with well-prepared national teams.”
Information from The Associated Press and ESPN Global Research contributed to this report.