Sport
Messi ties Klose record with 16th World Cup goal
Key Points
KANSAS CITY, Kansas -- Lionel Messi made history Tuesday night by tying the record for most World Cup goals at 16 with Miroslav Kolse after scoring a hat trick and staking Argentina to a 3-0 lead over Algeria before coming off late in the second half. The hat trick was Messi's 11th of his international career, but first at the World Cup, and he is now the oldest player to score three goals in a game at the tournament. When Messi took the field, he also became the first-ever player to feature...
KANSAS CITY, Kansas -- Lionel Messi made history Tuesday night by tying the record for most World Cup goals at 16 with Miroslav Kolse after scoring a hat trick and staking Argentina to a 3-0 lead over Algeria before coming off late in the second half.
The hat trick was Messi's 11th of his international career, but first at the World Cup, and he is now the oldest player to score three goals in a game at the tournament.
When Messi took the field, he also became the first-ever player to feature in six World Cups during Argentina's match -- his 200th with the national team.
By playing in his sixth World Cup, Messi broke the record of five held by Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Antonio Carbajal, Andrés Guardado and Rafael Márquez (all Mexico) and Lothar Matthäus (Germany).
Ronaldo should equal the mark of six World Cups in Portugal's opener against Congo on Wednesday, with Messi beating him to it by a day.
Argentina earned the early lead in the first half, with a left-footed strike from just outside the area by Messi. He then scored twice in the second half to complete the hat trick and equal Klose's record of 16 goals for Germany.
Argentina's triumph also meant that Messi is tied for most World Cup victories with Klose at 17.
Argentina play Austria next in Dallas on June 22.
Messi (PERSON)
Klose (PERSON)
World Cup (EVENT)
KANSAS CITY (LOCATION)
Kansas (LOCATION)
Lionel Messi (PERSON)
Miroslav Kolse (PERSON)
Argentina (LOCATION)
Algeria (LOCATION)
the World Cup (EVENT)
World Cups (EVENT)
Cristiano Ronaldo (PERSON)
Portugal (LOCATION)
Antonio Carbajal (PERSON)
Andrés Guardado (PERSON)