Magical Messi equals World Cup goals record as Argentina win
Lionel Messi opened his record-breaking sixth World Cup with a stunning hat-trick as defending champions Argentina swept Algeria aside 3-0 in a Group I match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The three-goal performance took Messi's World Cup tally to 16, equaling German legend Miroslav Klose's all-time record for goals at World Cup tournaments. Messi scored his first goal in the 17th minute with a curling strike, before netting again in the second half from close range by gobbling up a rebound, which brought him to 16 goals and one shy of breaking the record held by Germany's Klose. With 16 goals, Messi joins West Germany's legendary Gerd Mueller and France superstar Kylian Mbappe as joint-third highest scorers in World Cup history, having already surpassed the 14 goals Mbappe netted in previous tournaments. Messi's achievement marks a historic moment in […]
