Kansas City, June 17: Lionel Messi scored his first career World Cup hat trick to equal the tournament’s all-time scoring record as Argentina opened its title defense with a commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria. Playing in front of a packed crowd at Arrowhead Stadium, the legendary forward matched Miroslav Klose’s historic mark of 16 career World Cup goals. The milestone arrived exactly 20 years to the day after Messi made his tournament debut in 2006, securing a dream start for the reigning champions in their opening group stage match.
The masterclass unfolded through precise coordination, beginning in the opening minutes when Messi converted a sharp pass from national and Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul. He struck again early in the second half before completing his treble shortly before being substituted to a massive standing ovation. The feat marked the 61st hat trick of his professional career and his 11th for the national squad, keeping intact a five-game World Cup scoring streak.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni affirmed that the captain’s continuous brilliance leaves observers awestruck. “At a loss for words about Leo. What can I say? He’s incredible,” the manager declared. “Everyone in football wants to see him and enjoys it.”
The performance easily overshadowed high-scoring matches from other global stars on the same day, including France’s Kylian Mbappe and Norway’s Erling Haaland. The display was particularly impressive given that the veteran attacker, who turns 39 next week, had recently been managing a minor hamstring injury during his club season in North America. The match also marked his 200th international appearance since his debut as an 18-year-old in 2005.
Opposing players could only marvel at the standard of play displayed on the pitch. “Messi is a madman,” Norwegian striker Erling Haaland asserted in a social media post following the conclusion of the matches.
The spectacle brought immense celebration to the Kansas City region, which serves as one of the base camps for the tournament. Local fans flooded the stadium and downtown entertainment districts in matching jerseys to celebrate the player widely regarded as the greatest of all time, whose record-breaking trajectory shows no signs of slowing down.
