Lionel Messi equals Miroslav Klose’s World Cup goals record with hat-trick

KANSAS CITY: Just when football fans thought there were no records left for Lionel Messi to conquer, the Argentine icon delivered another unforgettable masterpiece on the grandest stage of them all.

The 38-year-old superstar produced a sensational hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina’s FIFA World Cup opener, drawing level with German legend Miroslav Klose as the joint-highest goalscorer in men’s World Cup history with 16 goals.

On a night filled with milestones, Messi once again proved why many consider him the greatest footballer ever to play the game.

Making his record-breaking sixth World Cup appearance, the Argentine captain entered the tournament already among football’s immortals. By the final whistle, he had added yet another remarkable achievement to his glittering résumé.

Messi opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a breathtaking strike from outside the penalty area. Collecting a perfectly weighted pass, he surged forward before unleashing a curling effort that left the goalkeeper helpless and sent thousands of Argentine supporters inside Kansas City Stadium into celebration.

Argentina dominated possession throughout the contest, with Messi at the heart of nearly every attacking move. The defending champions looked confident and composed as they pursued another successful World Cup campaign.

The second goal arrived shortly after the hour mark. A powerful shot from Alexis Mac Allister was spilled by the goalkeeper, and Messi reacted quickest to tap home from close range. The goal moved him within touching distance of Klose’s long-standing record.

The historic moment came in the 76th minute. After being played through by substitute Nico Gonzalez, Messi calmly slotted the ball into the net to complete his first World Cup hat-trick and secure a memorable 3-0 victory.

Most goals in FIFA World Cup history 

Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 16

Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 16

Ronaldo (Brazil) – 15

Kylian Mbappe (France) – 14

Gerd Müller (West Germany) – 14

Just Fontaine (France) – 13

The achievement saw Messi move ahead of Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario, who scored 15 World Cup goals, and regain his place above France star Kylian Mbappe, who had earlier climbed the rankings with a brace.

Adding further significance to the evening, Messi also became the oldest player in World Cup history to score both a brace and a hat-trick in a single tournament match, surpassing the previous mark held by Cristiano Ronaldo.

With Argentina chasing back-to-back World Cup titles and Messi now just one goal away from becoming the outright record-holder, football’s greatest story may still have another chapter left to be written.