Lionel Messi delivered one of the most remarkable individual performances in World Cup history on Tuesday evening, scoring all three goals as Argentina defeated Algeria 3-0 in Kansas City to open their title defence in emphatic fashion.

A sixth World Cup — and a record from the first whistle

Messi made history before a ball was even kicked, becoming the first player to appear at six World Cup Finals when the referee's whistle sounded in Kansas City. What followed was a masterclass that few could have anticipated, even from a player of his extraordinary standing.

Algeria almost took an early lead when Fares Chaibi found the net, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside. Reprieved, Argentina grew into the match, and in the 17th minute Rodrigo De Paul split the Algerian defence to release Messi, who turned and fired into the net from distance — his first World Cup goal since scoring at four of his previous five tournaments, with South Africa 2010 the sole blank.

Equalling Klose's all-time record

Shortly after the interval, Messi struck again, reacting to a spillage by Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane to bring his World Cup tally to 15 — just one behind Miroslav Klose's all-time record of 16, a mark the German striker set across his career with Die Mannschaft and had held for 12 years.

The wait for the equaliser did not last long. With 15 minutes remaining, Messi collected possession on the edge of the penalty area, shifted onto his favoured left foot, and slotted into the bottom corner from 18 yards — trademark, inevitable, and historic. He had drawn level with Klose on 16 World Cup goals.

Records old and new

The hat-trick made Messi the first player to score three goals in a single match at the 2026 tournament, following a clutch of braces from Elijah Just, Erling Haaland, Folarin Balogun, Yasin Ayari, Kai Havertz, and Kylian Mbappe. It also made him the first active MLS player to net a World Cup hat-trick, as well as the oldest player in tournament history to score both a brace and a hat-trick.

With Argentina's next group fixtures against Austria on Monday, 22 June and Jordan on Sunday, 28 June, Messi needs just one more goal to surpass Klose and stand alone as the greatest goalscorer in World Cup history — and he leads the 2026 Golden Boot standings with those three strikes.