Lionel Messi opened Argentina’s World Cup title defense with the kind of night that gets its own chapter in tournament history, scoring a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria at Kansas City Stadium that pulled him level with Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals.
Messi’s Hat-Trick, Goal by Goal
Messi opened the scoring early in the first half, cutting through the middle of Algeria’s defense to finish from close range. He doubled Argentina’s lead in the 60th minute, pouncing on the rebound after Alexis Mac Allister’s long-range strike was only parried away. Sixteen minutes later, in the 76th, he completed the treble with a precisely placed left-footed finish past goalkeeper Luca Zidane, son of World Cup-winning great Zinedine Zidane.
A Night for the Record Books
The hat-trick was the first of Messi’s World Cup career, and at 38 years old he became the oldest player to score multiple goals in a single World Cup match, surpassing a record previously held by Cameroon’s Roger Milla. He is now also just the second man to score in five different World Cups. Fittingly, the performance arrived 20 years to the day after his World Cup debut, as a substitute against Serbia and Montenegro at Germany 2006.
What This Means for Group J
Argentina’s win, paired with Austria’s 3-1 victory over Jordan on the same matchday, leaves both group favorites level on three points after the opening round. Algeria and Jordan will both need a response on matchday two to keep their knockout-round hopes alive, while Argentina’s title defense is exactly on the track its name demanded: ruthless, efficient, and built around the best player of his generation still delivering on the sport’s biggest stage.
FAQ
How many World Cup goals does Lionel Messi have after his hat-trick against Algeria? Messi’s treble brought his career World Cup goal tally to 16, tying Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the all-time record.
Where was Argentina vs. Algeria played? The Group J match was played at Kansas City Stadium on June 16, 2026, as the opening match of Argentina’s World Cup title defense.
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