Lionel Messi did something Tuesday night that no active player has ever done — and he did it while two of the game’s biggest stars were still catching their breath from their own standout performances.
Playing in what might be his final World Cup, the Inter Miami forward scored a hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria, tying Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup goals record of 16. The feat also made Messi just the second player alongside Cristiano Ronaldo to score in five different World Cups, spanning 20 years from his first goal at Germany 2006.
The 2022 World Cup champions looked every bit the defending title holders, controlling the match from start to finish at Kansas City Stadium. FOX analyst Thierry Henry summed it up succinctly: “He reminded us why he is who he is, and Argentina also reminded us that they are the holders. Let’s not forget about them. But Leo is just different.”
The night didn’t start with Messi, though. Earlier, Kylian Mbappé opened the matchday with two goals in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal at New York/New Jersey Stadium. The Real Madrid forward now has 58 international goals, passing former LAFC striker Olivier Giroud (57) to become France’s all-time leading scorer. Mbappé, who helped France win the 2018 World Cup and finished runner-up to Messi’s Argentina in 2022, leads a frontline that includes Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise and Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué.
Norway’s Erling Haaland then made his World Cup debut with a brace in a 4-1 win over Iraq at Boston Stadium. The Manchester City striker scored twice in the first half, bringing his international tally to 57 goals in 51 appearances. Norway, playing in their first World Cup since 1998, also features Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard and Atlético Madrid’s Alexander Sørloth.
Messi answered both performances in emphatic fashion. His first goal came in the 17th minute, a long-range strike off a through ball from Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul. He added two more in the 60th and 76th minutes before being substituted with Argentina holding a comfortable lead. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner now has 16 goals and 8 assists in 27 World Cup appearances.
The stakes are clear: Argentina can become the first back-to-back World Cup champion since Brazil in 1962. They close Group J play in Dallas against Austria on June 22 and Jordan on June 27. Messi needs just one more goal to break Klose’s record outright. Given the form he showed Tuesday, that milestone feels less like a question and more like a countdown.
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