Lionel Messi etched his name deeper into football history, matching the all-time men’s FIFA World Cup scoring record as Argentina triumphed 3-0 over Algeria on Wednesday, June 17.
At Arrowhead Stadium, the Argentina captain delivered a dazzling masterclass, firing a hat-trick that powered the defending champions to a commanding start in their pursuit of back-to-back World Cup glory.
Messi shattered the stalemate in the 17th minute with a stunning left-footed strike from beyond the box, then doubled Argentina’s lead in the 60th by pouncing first on a loose rebound.
Sixteen minutes later, the 39-year-old sealed his hat-trick with another spectacular long-range goal, crowning a night to remember and clinching all three points for La Albiceleste.
The three-goal haul took Messi’s World Cup tally to 16 goals, drawing him level with German legend Miroslav Klose as the joint-highest scorer in the history of the men’s FIFA World Cup.
Entering the 2026 tournament with 13 World Cup goals, Messi needed three to catch Klose’s legendary mark, and he achieved it in spectacular style.
With at least two group-stage matches still ahead, the Argentine icon stands on the brink of surpassing Klose to claim the World Cup’s all-time scoring crown.
Meanwhile, France and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé is keeping the race alive. His two goals in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal lifted his World Cup tally to 14, drawing him level with German legend Gerd Müller for third on the all-time list.
