Messi matches World Cup goals record

Messi's hat-trick vs Algeria moves him level with Klose's record of 16 World Cup goals.

Sources

4 verified

Location

Argentina

Updated

Wednesday, 17 June 2026 at 03:03 UTC

No media · text-only dispatch

Synthesis · 4 sources

Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick in Argentina's 3-0 World Cup opener against Algeria, moving him level with Miroslav Klose's all-time record of 16 World Cup goals. The 38-year-old captain led the defending champions to a dominant victory in their title defence. Messi's three goals came from a penalty, a free kick, and a close-range finish, showcasing his enduring brilliance on the world stage.

Updates · 3

3d agoAl Jazeera World News

Additional source (Al Jazeera) reporting the same match result with no new facts beyond what is already covered in the existing topic.

3d agoAl Jazeera World News

Al Jazeera reports Messi scored exactly 20 years to the day after his World Cup debut, framing the hat-trick as a record sixth World Cup appearance milestone.

3d agoCNN English News

Messi has now equalled Klose's record of 16 World Cup goals, matching the milestone reported previously in topic 82791.

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