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Lionel Messi delivered his first World Cup hat trick and matched Miroslav Klose’s career scoring record before thousands of Argentina fans packed into Arrowhead Stadium for a match against Algeria on Tuesday night. The defending champions went on to win 3-0. “My tears after the first goal? I’ve had some tough days. It wasn’t related to football. And those feelings were because of that,” Messi said afterward, without elaborating. “I thank my teammates, the coaching staff and the delegation for helping me.”Messi scored that emotional first goal in the opening minutes on a nifty feed from Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, the second off an opportunistic rebound early in the second half, and the third on a crisp strike moments before subbing out to a standing ovation from a crowd of 69,045 tilted heavily toward the three-time World Cup champions.”At a loss for words about Leo. What can I say?” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. “He’s incredible.”Messi has starred in the World Cup for two decadesHis incredible trio of goals came 20 years to the day that Messi made his World Cup debut in a match against Serbia and Montenegro – he scored in that one, too – and made the pride of Rosario only the second player to score in five editions of the men’s tournament.Messi has 16 goals in his record six World Cup appearances overall, and it seems inevitable that Klose’s record will fall in the coming weeks. The hat trick was the 61st of Messi’s career, his 11th while playing in his national team colors and his first in the World Cup.It was also the fifth straight World Cup game in which Messi has scored.”It makes me very happy to have lived through everything that came my way. What I’m living through now is the cherry on top,” Messi said. “I’m very happy and grateful for this wonderful group. I enjoy it so much.”Messi upstaged two of soccer’s other stars – Kylian Mbappé of France and Erling Haaland of Norway – who had big games of their own on Tuesday. Mbappé scored twice in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal to move into a tie for fourth on the men’s World Cup goals list with 14, while Haaland scored twice for Norway in its 4-1 victory over Iraq.”Messi is a madman,” Haaland said in a post on Snapchat during Argentina’s game.The Associated Press contributed to this report
Lionel Messi delivered his first World Cup hat trick and matched Miroslav Klose’s career scoring record before thousands of Argentina fans packed into Arrowhead Stadium for a match against Algeria on Tuesday night.
The defending champions went on to win 3-0.
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“My tears after the first goal? I’ve had some tough days. It wasn’t related to football. And those feelings were because of that,” Messi said afterward, without elaborating. “I thank my teammates, the coaching staff and the delegation for helping me.”
Messi scored that emotional first goal in the opening minutes on a nifty feed from Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, the second off an opportunistic rebound early in the second half, and the third on a crisp strike moments before subbing out to a standing ovation from a crowd of 69,045 tilted heavily toward the three-time World Cup champions.
“At a loss for words about Leo. What can I say?” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. “He’s incredible.”
Messi has starred in the World Cup for two decades
His incredible trio of goals came 20 years to the day that Messi made his World Cup debut in a match against Serbia and Montenegro – he scored in that one, too – and made the pride of Rosario only the second player to score in five editions of the men’s tournament.
Messi has 16 goals in his record six World Cup appearances overall, and it seems inevitable that Klose’s record will fall in the coming weeks. The hat trick was the 61st of Messi’s career, his 11th while playing in his national team colors and his first in the World Cup.
It was also the fifth straight World Cup game in which Messi has scored.
“It makes me very happy to have lived through everything that came my way. What I’m living through now is the cherry on top,” Messi said. “I’m very happy and grateful for this wonderful group. I enjoy it so much.”
Messi upstaged two of soccer’s other stars – Kylian Mbappé of France and Erling Haaland of Norway – who had big games of their own on Tuesday. Mbappé scored twice in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal to move into a tie for fourth on the men’s World Cup goals list with 14, while Haaland scored twice for Norway in its 4-1 victory over Iraq.
“Messi is a madman,” Haaland said in a post on Snapchat during Argentina’s game.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
