Magical Messi equals World Cup goals record as Argentina win
Messi opened his record-breaking sixth World Cup with a hat-trick to become the tournament's joint all-time top scorer as Argentina launched their bid for back-to-back titles..
✨ Key Highlights
Lionel Messi made history on Tuesday, scoring a hat-trick in Argentina's dominant 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup.
- Messi equaled the World Cup all-time goals record with 16 goals, joining Miroslav Klose.
- The match marked Messi's record-breaking sixth World Cup appearance and his 200th international cap.
- Fellow stars Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland also found the net multiple times in their respective teams' opening games.
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Austria beat Jordan 3-1 in World Cup group game - June 2026
Austria secured a 3-1 victory over World Cup newcomers Jordan in their opening group stage match on Tuesday. Lionel Messi made history in the same set of matches, scoring a hat-trick in Argentina's 3-0 victory over Algeria, equaling the World Cup goals record. Erling Haaland scored twice on Norway's return to the FIFA World Cup stage, helping them secure a 4-1 victory over Iraq. Meanwhile, France kicked off their World Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory over Senegal, largely thanks to a brace from star forward Kylian Mbappe.
