Lionel Messi scored three goals against Algeria on Tuesday in Kansas City, pulling level with Germany's Miroslav Klose on 16 career World Cup goals. The 38-year-old's treble carried Argentina to a 3-0 win in their opening Group J fixture at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, played at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

It was Messi's first hat-trick at a World Cup, arriving in his sixth appearance at the tournament and his 200th cap for the national team. The result also kept Argentina's title defense, after their 2022 win in Qatar, on track from the opening match.

How the Hat-Trick Unfolded

Messi's first goal came in the 17th minute after Argentina won possession from an Algerian turnover. He curled a shot past goalkeeper Luca Zidane and into the top corner. His second arrived just before the hour mark, a close-range finish off a rebound created by a long-range effort from Alexis Mac Allister. The third, in the 76th minute, was a low strike from the edge of the box that beat Zidane to his right.

Key moments from the match include:

  • 9th minute: Algeria's Fares Chaibi had a goal ruled out for offside.
  • 17th minute: Messi's first goal, set up by an Argentine turnover win.
  • 60th minute: Messi's second, finished from a Mac Allister rebound.
  • 76th minute: Messi's third, the goal that tied the all-time scoring record.
  • 79th minute: Messi substituted to a standing ovation from the crowd.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni called the performance remarkable after the match, while Norway forward Erling Haaland, who scored twice in his own opening game, described Messi's night as something close to disbelief.

Messi Ties Klose's All-Time Scoring Record

Klose set the men's World Cup scoring record of 16 goals across four tournaments for Germany between 2002 and 2014. Messi has now matched that mark in six appearances for Argentina stretching back to his debut in 2006, when he scored against Serbia and Montenegro on the same calendar date, 20 years to the day, as Tuesday's match.

Messi entered the 2026 tournament with 13 World Cup goals after scoring seven at Qatar 2022. His hat-trick against Algeria also made him the oldest player to score three goals in a single World Cup match, and the oldest scorer in Argentina's World Cup history, a record he previously held at the younger end as the team's youngest scorer two decades earlier.

Other milestones from the match:

  • Messi's 11th hat-trick for the Argentina national team.
  • His fifth consecutive World Cup match with a goal.
  • His 200th international appearance, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo and Kuwait's Bader Al-Mutawa among active players.
  • Argentina's win moved Messi level with Klose for most World Cup victories by a single player, at 17.

A Tournament Opener With Wider Stakes

The 2026 World Cup is the first held jointly across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and the first to feature 48 nations rather than 32. Group stage matches like Argentina versus Algeria carry significance beyond the scoreline: large traveling fan bases reshape host cities for short stretches, and broadcasters and tourism boards treat opening matches as early indicators of how the expanded format will draw global audiences.

Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium, usually home to NFL crowds, was filled largely with Argentine supporters for the match, a pattern World Cup organizers have seen repeated across host cities this tournament. Algeria, competing as African Cup of Nations champions from 2019, came into the match as decided underdogs but had pushed for an early goal before Messi's opener shifted momentum.

What Comes Next for Argentina

Argentina's group stage continues with two more matches:

  • Argentina vs Austria, June 22, in Dallas.
  • Argentina vs Jordan, to close group play.

A strong start gives Scaloni's squad room to manage Messi's fitness through the group stage after he dealt with a minor hamstring issue at club level with Inter Miami earlier this year. France's Kylian Mbappe and Norway's Haaland also opened their tournaments with multi-goal performances, setting up an early race for the Golden Boot alongside Messi.