Argentina captain Lionel Messi equaled the all-time World Cup scoring record on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, after netting a hat-trick against Algeria.
The 38-year-old forward reached 16 tournament goals, matching the mark held by former German striker Miroslav Klose.
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Messi made his World Cup debut as an 18-year-old in 2006, and this milestone anchors his legacy two decades later.
He has accumulated 200 international caps and scored 120 total goals for Argentina, including 40 goals in 43 appearances since the start of 2022.
Klose Welcomes Record Being Broken
Former record holder Miroslav Klose expressed support for Messi ahead of the milestone match.
"The record will be broken eventually," Klose said. "Messi is welcome to do it.
I'm a huge Messi fan, always have been."
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni, who was Messi's teammate on the bench during the 2006 World Cup, praised the veteran forward's sustained performance.
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"At a loss for words about Leo. What can I say?
He's incredible," Scaloni said.
"It's quite hard to explain. We are amazed with him still, although we get to see him on a daily basis.
He has been the best for 20 years but he still pulls it off every single match."
Scaloni added: "You don't need to be an Argentinian fan to admire what he has done at the age of 38."
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Messi's current international run follows consecutive major titles with Argentina, including Copa America championships in 2021 and 2024.
