Lionel Messi wrote another indelible chapter in football history on a remarkable evening at the FIFA World Cup, striking three times against Algeria to become the joint-highest goal scorer in World Cup history. The Argentine captain's hat-trick - his first at the tournament across six appearances - drove Argentina to a commanding 3-0 victory in their Group J opener, levelling Miroslav Klose's long-standing record of 16 World Cup goals. It was a night when several records moved, but only one man truly rewrote them.

Earlier in the evening, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland had each netted twice in their respective fixtures, briefly commanding the headlines and signalling that the golden generation of strikers was ready to make this tournament their own. The sheer volume of elite attacking talent on display in a single night underscored just how different the modern World Cup landscape feels compared to previous editions - a point not lost on those who follow football across multiple formats, from the grassroots level to niche disciplines like beach soccer betting, where individual brilliance similarly drives the spectacle. Yet for all the fanfare around Mbappé and Haaland, the evening ultimately belonged to a 38-year-old from Rosario who still refuses to be written off.

The symmetry of the occasion added an almost cinematic quality. The hat-trick came exactly 20 years to the day that Messi made his World Cup debut for Argentina, a debut against Serbia and Montenegro in which he also scored. Two decades on, he is not merely still competing at the highest level - he is resetting its ceiling.

How the Hat-Trick Unfolded

Messi announced his intent early. In the 17th minute, fed by his Inter Miami club teammate Rodrigo De Paul, he curled a composed left-footed effort past Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane - the son of French footballing icon Zinedine Zidane - to open the scoring. The goal carried all the hallmarks of a player who has spent two decades learning exactly where to stand, when to move, and how to finish.

The second came with less artistry but equal efficiency. After a teammate's attempt cannoned back off Zidane, the rebound fell kindly to Messi, who had initially launched the move from the left flank. A simple tap-in, but World Cup records are not broken by aesthetics alone. The third was more classical - a clean left-footed finish to cap a well-constructed team move - and it arrived with the weight of history behind it. Just over a minute later, Messi was withdrawn to a standing ovation from what was a heavily pro-Argentina crowd, the acknowledgement of a record equalled in real time.

Klose's Record Within Reach - and Perhaps Already Threatened

Miroslav Klose's tally of 16 World Cup goals, accumulated across four tournaments between 2002 and 2014, has stood as one of football's most resilient records. The German striker was meticulous and relentless, a penalty-box specialist who made every tournament count. Messi has now reached that mark across six World Cups, with the 2026 edition still ongoing. The record may not stand for long - and it may not fall to just one player.

Mbappé, now on 14 World Cup goals across three tournaments and still only in his mid-twenties, is well positioned to challenge both Messi and Klose before this competition concludes. Below is a snapshot of where the all-time top scorers stand heading into the remainder of the tournament:

Six players sit on 10 World Cup goals just outside the top ten: Helmut Rahn, Gary Lineker, Gabriel Batistuta, Teofilo Cubillas, Thomas Müller, and Grzegorz Lato. All achieved their tallies in fewer, more compact tournament formats - context that makes the ongoing pursuit by Messi and Mbappé all the more striking.

What This Means for Argentina's Title Defence

Beyond the individual records, Argentina have sent a clear statement in their opening match. A 3-0 win, a settled team, a captain who appears to have found a second wind after lifting the trophy in Qatar four years ago - the defending champions look composed and dangerous. Messi's continued presence at this level, still decisive, still capable of producing a hat-trick on the biggest stage, is remarkable by any measure. The question for Argentina is no longer whether Messi can still perform; it is whether the squad around him can sustain the momentum deep into the knockout rounds. On this evidence, the answer looks encouraging.