Messi ties all-time World Cup goal record with hat trick

Messi Hat Trick Powers Argentina Past Algeria in Kansas City

Lionel Messi scored his first-ever World Cup hat trick on Tuesday night, leading Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Algeria in Kansas City’s debut as a World Cup host city. The performance moved the 38-year-old into a tie with Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the all-time men’s World Cup scoring record at 16 goals.espn

A Record-Setting Night

Playing in a record sixth World Cup, Messi delivered what ESPN described as his 11th international hat trick but first at football’s grandest tournament, making him the oldest player to score three goals in a single World Cup match. The feat came just hours after France’s Kylian Mbappé had briefly surpassed Messi on the all-time World Cup scoring list by netting twice in a 3-1 win over Senegal earlier in the day.yahoo

Reuters reported that Messi equalled Klose’s tally of 16 goals in his 27th World Cup appearance, a mark it took the German striker 24 matches to set. Argentina’s triumph also gave Messi a record-tying 17th World Cup victory, matching Klose in that category as well.espn

Kansas City’s World Cup Arrival

The match at Arrowhead Stadium — renamed Kansas City Stadium for the duration of the tournament — marked the first of six World Cup games the city will host. Local outlet KCUR reported that officials had urged fans to arrive early for what became a capacity crowd.kcur

Argentina, the defending champions under head coach Lionel Scaloni, opened their title defense in Group H, which also includes Austria and Jordan. The Athletic noted that Argentina is aiming to become the first team to win consecutive World Cups in over six decades.nytimes

What Comes Next

Messi was substituted late in the second half after securing the result, a measured decision by Scaloni as the tournament stretches ahead. For Algeria, who were seeking only their second-ever advancement to the knockout stage, the defeat represents a steep challenge in a competitive group.nytimes