Messi marks 20 years at World Cup by matching Klose’s scoring record
Lionel Messi, captain of Argentina, has written another chapter in World Cup history after scoring a hat-trick to lead the Albiceleste to a 3-0 win over Algeria in their opening Group J match at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The three goals took Messi’s all-time men’s World Cup tally to 16, drawing him level with Germany legend Miroslav Klose as the tournament’s joint top scorer.
The match, played in Kansas City on Tuesday local time, or Wednesday, June 17, Thailand time, also marked a remarkable milestone in Messi’s two-decade World Cup journey.
At 38, Messi delivered his first hat-trick on the World Cup stage and his 11th for Argentina.
The latest achievement means Messi now shares the men’s World Cup scoring record with Klose.
- Lionel Messi: 16 goals from 27 matches
- Miroslav Klose: 16 goals from 24 matches
20 years of Messi at the World Cup
The timing of Messi’s hat-trick added further significance to the occasion.
It came exactly 20 years after he made his World Cup debut for Argentina in 2006, when he was just 18. He scored in that first tournament appearance and went on to build one of the greatest World Cup careers in football history.
From a teenage prodigy in Germany in 2006 to a World Cup-winning captain and record-chasing icon in 2026, Messi has spent two decades shaping the tournament’s modern era.
Messi’s overall World Cup record
- Appearances: 27
- Minutes played: 2,394
- Goals: 16
- Assists: 8
2006 World Cup, Germany
- Appearances: 3
- Goals: 1
- Assists: 1
- Argentina were eliminated in the quarter-finals.
2010 World Cup, South Africa
- Appearances: 5
- Goals: 0
- Assists: 1
- Argentina were eliminated in the quarter-finals.
2014 World Cup, Brazil
- Appearances: 7
- Goals: 4
- Assists: 1
- Messi won the tournament’s best player award.
- Argentina finished as runners-up.
2018 World Cup, Russia
- Appearances: 4
- Goals: 1
- Assists: 2
- Argentina were eliminated in the Round of 16.
2022 World Cup, Qatar
- Appearances: 7
- Goals: 7
- Assists: 3
- Messi won the tournament’s best player award and led Argentina to the World Cup title.
2026 World Cup
- Messi scored a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina’s opening match.
- He moved level with Klose as the joint all-time leading scorer in men’s World Cup history with 16 goals.
Messi’s latest performance reinforces his status as one of football’s greatest figures, with his World Cup story now stretching across six tournaments and 20 years.
