{"id":3259,"date":"2026-06-17T05:04:56","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T05:04:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=3259"},"modified":"2026-06-17T05:04:56","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T05:04:56","slug":"lionel-messi-ties-the-world-cup-goals-record-with-an-incredible-hat-trick-as-argentina-tops-algeria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=3259","title":{"rendered":"Lionel Messi ties the World Cup goals record with an incredible hat trick as Argentina tops Algeria"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) \u2014 Lionel Messi used the front of his white-and-blue, sweat-soaked jersey to wipe the tears from his eyes, a flood of emotions cracking his usually calm, confident demeanor after he gave Argentina an early lead in its World Cup opener against Algeria.<\/p>\n

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Then he scored again. And again.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, any questions about Messi\u2019s hamstring injury, or whether he could help Argentina become the third team to win consecutive World Cups \u2014 even as his 39th birthday approaches next week \u2014 had been answered. With a brilliant hat trick in a 3-0 win over Les Fennecs, Messi moved into a tie with Germany\u2019s Miroslav Klose for the tournament\u2019s career scoring record.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy tears after the first goal? I\u2019ve had some tough days. It wasn\u2019t related to football. And those feelings were because of that,\u201d Messi said afterward, without elaborating. \u201cI thank my teammates, the coaching staff and the delegation for helping me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Messi scored that emotional first goal in the opening minutes on a nifty feed from Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, the second off an opportunistic rebound early in the second half, and the third on a crisp strike moments before subbing out to a standing ovation from a crowd of 69,045 tilted heavily toward the three-time World Cup champions.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt a loss for words about Leo. What can I say?\u201d Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. \u201cHe\u2019s incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Messi has starred in the World Cup for two decades<\/h3>\n

His incredible trio of goals came 20 years to the day that Messi made his World Cup debut in a match against Serbia and Montenegro \u2014 he scored in that one, too \u2014 and made the pride of Rosario only the second player to score in five editions of the tournament.<\/p>\n

Messi has 16 goals in his record six World Cup appearances overall, and it seems inevitable that Klose\u2019s record will fall in the coming weeks. The hat trick was the 61st of Messi\u2019s career, his 11th while playing in his national team colors and his first in the World Cup.<\/p>\n

It also was the fifth straight World Cup game in which Messi has scored.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt makes me very happy to have lived through everything that came my way. What I\u2019m living though now is the cherry on top,\u201d Messi said. \u201cI\u2019m very happy an grateful for this wonderful group. I enjoy it so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Messi upstaged two of soccer\u2019s other stars \u2014 Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 of France and Erling Haaland of Norway \u2014 who had big games of their own on Tuesday. Mbapp\u00e9 scored twice in France\u2019s 3-1 win over Senegal to move into a tie for fourth on the World Cup goals list with 14, while Haaland scored twice for Norway in its 4-1 victory over Iraq.<\/p>\n

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\u201cMessi is a madman,\u201d Haaland said in a post on Snapchat during Argentina\u2019s game.<\/p>\n

Shaking off injury, Messi remains Argentina\u2019s engine<\/h3>\n

Messi had been dealing with a minor hamstring injury with Inter Miami that slowed him in the lead-up to the World Cup. But the eight-time winner of the Ballon d\u2019Or, which honors global soccer\u2019s best player, had no problems in a tuneup last week with Iceland, scoring on a penalty kick while playing 20 minutes in a sharp performance.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is my sixth World Cup, and I still feel like I\u2019m in good shape,\u201d Messi said. \u201cFortunately, I\u2019m doing well, and today we managed to win a tough match. It\u2019s important to start the tournament with a victory in the first game, as that\u2019s never easy in a World Cup.\u201d<\/p>\n

Messi\u2019s appearance against Algeria was the 200th of his international career, which began in 2005 at age of 18. The only players with more are Portugal\u2019s Cristiano Ronaldo, who will play his 229th on Wednesday, and Bader al-Mutawa, who played in 202 for Kuwait.<\/p>\n

Messi and Ronaldo are the only players to have scored in five World Cups.<\/p>\n

\u201cClass is permanent,\u201d Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic said. \u201cHe\u2019s fortunate to have the privilege that the entire Argentina team works for him, and supports him, and for a number of years now \u2014 decades \u2014 he\u2019s done incredible things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fans flock to Kansas City for a glimpse of the GOAT<\/h3>\n

Argentina is among four national teams making their base camps in the Kansas City metro. And much as it has the rest of the world, Messi-mania has swept through the area ever since La Albiceleste\u2019s arrival in the Heartland about two weeks ago.<\/p>\n

On match day, thousands of fans wearing his No. 10 jersey trekked into the home of the NFL\u2019s Chiefs on the outskirts of Kansas City, singing odes to their hero. Meanwhile, during a watch party at the downtown Power & Light District, a goat accompanied by former NFL quarterback-turned Fox broadcaster Jameis Winston came on stage wearing an Argentina jersey.<\/p>\n

The humorous moment seemed to have foreshadowed a big night for Messi when he scored an hour later, and the argument that he\u2019s soccer\u2019s GOAT \u2014 the greatest of all time \u2014 is becoming no argument at all with every match he plays.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an advantage to have Leo because of how he handles the group and pushes it forward. Because of who he is,\u201d De Paul said. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t care about individual records. He prioritizes the group, and for us it\u2019s incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more New business park planned near Fort Bragg could bring jobs to Fayetteville<\/a><\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

AP World Cup: https:\/\/apnews.com\/fifa-world-cup<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KANSAS CITY, Mo. 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