MESSI SCORES HAT-TRICK AGAINST ALGERIA, EQUALS KLOSE’S ALL-TIME WORLD CUP RECORD OF 16 GOALS

June 17, 2026June 17, 2026

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By ‘Sefiu Ajape

Argentina captain and football icon Lionel Messi has equalled the all-time FIFA World Cup scoring record after netting a hat-trick in his side’s group-stage clash against Algeria at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Messi completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute with a long-range strike, taking his overall World Cup tally to 16 goals and drawing level with former Germany striker Miroslav Klose as the tournament’s joint-highest scorer.

The achievement came during Argentina’s opening group-stage fixture at the World Cup being hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Messi’s World Cup scoring record now spans six editions of the tournament.

He scored once at the 2006 World Cup, failed to find the net in 2010, scored four goals in 2014, one in 2018, and seven during Argentina’s triumphant 2022 campaign and has added three goals at the 2026 tournament.

The hat-trick further cemented Messi’s place among football’s greatest players, with the Argentine legend now sharing the World Cup scoring record with Klose, who previously held the mark outright with 16 goals.

With more matches remaining in the tournament, Messi now has the opportunity to move clear at the top of the World Cup scoring charts and become the competition’s outright leading goalscorer.