Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 05:41am on 17 Jun 2026,Wednesday Sports
Argentina captain Lionel Messi delivered a memorable performance by scoring a hat-trick in a 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening Group J match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The three goals took the 38-year-old's World Cup tally to 16, equalling the all-time men's scoring record held by former Germany striker Miroslav Klose. Playing in his sixth World Cup and 200th international match, Messi also became the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick. The victory gave defending champions Argentina a perfect start to their title defence.
