Photo: Charlotte Wilson / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images
In a historic match on Tuesday (June 16), Lionel Messi tied the all-time record for most goals scored in the Men's World Cup, leading Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Algeria in Kansas City, Missouri. The 38-year-old soccer legend scored a hat trick, bringing his World Cup goal tally to 16, equaling Germany's Miroslav Klose.
Messi's remarkable performance marked his first hat trick in World Cup history and made him the oldest player to achieve such a feat in the tournament. According to USA Today, Messi entered the game trailing Klose by three goals but left as the co-leading scorer.
The match also saw Messi become the first man to play in six World Cups, a milestone he shares with longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who is set to join him when Portugal faces DR Congo on Wednesday. As reported by AP News, Messi expressed his gratitude to his teammates and the coaching staff for their support during difficult times unrelated to football.
Argentina's coach, Lionel Scaloni, praised Messi's performance, stating, "He's incredible." Messi's teammate Rodrigo De Paul added, "He doesn't care about individual records. He prioritizes the group." The crowd of 69,045 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium gave Messi a standing ovation as he exited the game.
Messi's achievement comes 20 years after his World Cup debut, where he also scored. His goals against Algeria came on a day when other soccer stars, such as France's Kylian Mbappé and Norway's Erling Haaland, also had standout performances.
Argentina will next face Austria on Monday (June 22) in Dallas, where Messi will have the opportunity to break the scoring record. As ESPN noted, Messi's teammates emphasized his importance to the team, with Alexis Mac Allister stating, "He is our most important player."