Lionel Messi ties World Cup goals record with hat trick

Lionel Messi scored a hat trick in his 2026 World Cup opener, bringing his total World Cup goals to 16, tying him with Miroslav Klose for the all-time lead. This achievement also marks Messi as the second player to score in five different World Cups, joining Cristiano Ronaldo in that category. Messi's record-setting performance has sparked further discussion about his standing in football history. As the tournament progresses, the pursuit of additional records continues for both him and Ronaldo, who could potentially score in the same number of World Cups this summer.

• 3:09 AMYahoo Sports — World Cup records: Appearances, scoring leaders as Lionel Messi chases goal history