Messi's Historic Goal Record
Lionel Messi equals World Cup's all-time top goalscorer record after stunning Argentina hat-trick
Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick against Algeria on June 16, 2026, to equal the all-time World Cup scoring record. His three goals gave him 16 in total at World Cups, matching the mark set by Germany's Miroslav Klose in 2014, according to The Independent.
The match, played at a sold-out Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City before 76,000 fans, ended 3-0 to Argentina. It was also Messi's 200th cap for his country and his record sixth World Cup appearance, Associated Press reported.
How Messi Scored Three Goals Against Algeria
Messi opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a left-footed strike from outside the box, assisted by Rodrigo De Paul. That was his 14th career World Cup goal. In the 60th minute, he pounced on a rebound off Algerian goalkeeper Luca Zidane to make it 15, per Al Jazeera.
Then, in the 76th minute, Messi finished low into the corner after a pass from Nico González to complete the hat-trick. The goal brought his tally to 16. He was substituted off four minutes later to a standing ovation, according to The Score.
A Record 20 Years in the Making
The hat-trick came exactly 20 years after Messi scored his first World Cup goal against Serbia and Montenegro on June 16, 2006. It was also the first hat-trick of his World Cup career, making it his 11th international hat-trick overall, Daily Sports reported.
Miroslav Klose, the previous record holder, said before the tournament that he would be "happy to pass the record" to Messi, calling him the "GOAT," according to Athlon Sports. Klose set his mark of 16 goals during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Mbappé Lurks Two Goals Behind in Race for the Record
Messi does not yet hold the record alone. France's Kylian Mbappé scored a brace against Senegal earlier the same day, bringing his World Cup total to 14 goals. At 27 years old, Mbappé has more tournaments ahead of him, per Athlon Sports.
European outlets framed the story as a two-way race. South American broadcasters, meanwhile, celebrated Messi's legacy. Fox broadcaster John Strong's call of the third goal — "LIIIIIOOOONEL MESSIIIIIIII!" — went viral after the match, Yahoo Sports noted.
Kansas City Felt the Full 'Messi Effect'
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said "the whole planet" had awaited Messi's 200th cap. He added that Messi's fitness was managed carefully after a minor hamstring injury at Inter Miami, according to The Independent.
The economic impact was felt across the host city. Local tourism boards reported fans traveling from South America, with some spending over $100,000 on tournament travel packages. The Independent noted that some supporters even bicycled 11,000 miles from South America to be there.
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