Lionel Messi, Argentina, Algeria, Miroslav Klose, Ronaldo Nazario
17 June 2026
Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Argentina beat Algeria 3-0 in their World Cup opener. The goals moved him level with Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals, matching the competition’s all-time scoring record.
Messi’s performance drew praise from Brazilian legend Ronaldo, who said the debate over football’s greatest player should end. Argentina avoided a repeat of their 2022 opening shock and began their title defence with a dominant win.