Lionel Messi has tied the all-time record for goals scored at a men's World Cup. In a game against Algeria played in Dallas, the Argentina captain scored a hat-trick, taking his personal tally at the tournament to 16 goals and drawing level at the top of the all-time list.
The three goals took Messi to 16 for his World Cup career, matching Miroslav Klose for the most goals ever scored at men's World Cups. Rather than standing alone, Messi now shares the top of the men's scoring chart with the German, having reached the mark with a stunning hat-trick in Argentina's latest match.
Argentina arrived at this World Cup as the reigning world champions, and Messi continues to lead the side as captain. With the team carrying the weight of expectation that comes with being defending champions, the hat-trick added another defining moment to a tournament in which the Argentine remains the central figure.
Beyond the goal record, the occasion underlined another rare distinction. Messi became the first men's player to compete at six different World Cups, a mark of longevity that has allowed him to keep adding to his goal count across multiple editions of the competition while continuing to perform at the highest level.
The combination of those achievements places Messi in a category of his own in the men's game. Reaching 16 goals at World Cups, spread across six appearances at the tournament, reflects both the volume of his scoring and the sustained span of a career that has stretched over two decades at international level.
For Argentina, the match kept their captain at the very heart of the story as the defending champions pressed on with their tournament. The latest milestone adds a further chapter to a career already regarded as one of the most decorated in the sport, now level with the men's World Cup all-time scoring record.