Lionel Messi hits first World Cup hat-trick, equals Klose as Argentina beat Algeria 3-0 | OneFootball

Lionel Messi hit his first World Cup hat-trick as Argentina beat Algeria 3-0 in Kansas City, drawing level with Miroslav Klose on 16 goals at the first attempt of 2026.

As reported by L'Équipe, Messi called it an honour to stand alongside Klose, with Ronaldo not far behind, yet he downplayed it as only a statistic, noting Kylian Mbappé scored two today. The Argentina captain turns 39 next week and continues to stretch his records.

He arrived in peak condition after meticulous preparation, the key now is to manage his exertions. Algeria exposed spaces while he conserved energy off the ball, prompting a jittery start before team-mates tightened up. When he did surge, his acceleration and dribbling stood out.

For Alexis Mac Allister, some had thought Argentina were better without Leo, yet he considers Messi the most important player and believes the team should be built to suit him.

On the night he celebrated with unusual flourish and clear emotion. He sang the anthem with rare fervour and wiped away tears after the opener. He linked those feelings to something far from sport, spoke of difficult days, and thanked the delegation for standing by him.

Source: L'Équipe