Messi nets hat trick to tie Klose record with 16th World Cup goal - ESPN

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Lionel Messi made history Tuesday night by tying Miroslav Klose's record for most men's World Cup goals at 16 after scoring a hat trick to lead Argentina to a 3-0 win over Algeria.

The hat trick was the 11th of Messi's international career, but first at the World Cup. At 38, he became the oldest player to score three goals in a game at the tournament. He came off late in the second half to a rousing ovation from the partisan Argentina crowd at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

«It's an honor being up there for what it means, being alongside Klose and [Brazil's] Ronaldo, who is there also. But it doesn't mean anything,» Messi said after the game. "[Kylian] Mbappé is there, too, he scored twice today. At the end of the day, they are stats and nothing more.

«It's an honor to compete with them, but it doesn't mean anything. For me, Ronaldo, who I watched and is one of the greats, is not at the top. So, it's just stats.»

When Messi took the field for defending champion Argentina's first group stage match — his 200th with the national team — he also became the first player to feature in six World Cups.

Messi broke the record of five World Cups held by Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal); Antonio Carbajal, Andrés Guardado and Rafael Márquez (all Mexico); and Lothar Matthäus (Germany). (Ronaldo should equal the mark in Portugal's opener against Congo on Wednesday).

Messi gave Argentina the early lead in the first half with a left-footed strike from just outside the area. He then scored twice in the second half to complete the hat trick and equal Klose's record of 16 goals for Germany.

The Albiceleste captain was left in tears after his first goal.

«Why did I cry? It was something completely unrelated to football,»