Messi thankful for “honour” but says “they are stats and nothing more”
Lionel Messi equalled Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 World Cup goals after scoring a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria.
The 38-year-old became the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick and moved level with Klose at the top of the tournament’s all-time scoring charts. Messi also drew level with the former Germany striker on 17 World Cup victories and became the first player to appear at six editions of the competition when he made his 200th appearance for Argentina.
Messi opened the scoring with a left-footed strike from outside the area before adding two second-half goals to complete the first World Cup hat-trick of his career. The treble was the 11th hat-trick Messi has scored for Argentina and ensured he has now found the net in five consecutive World Cup matches.
Despite matching one of the competition’s most celebrated records, Messi played down the significance of the achievement.
“It’s an honour being up there for what it means, being alongside Klose and Ronaldo,” he said. “But it doesn’t mean anything. At the end of the day, they are stats and nothing more.”
Messi’s latest milestone came exactly 20 years after his World Cup debut against Serbia and Montenegro, when he also scored. The goal against Algeria made him only the second player to score in five different editions of the tournament.
There had been uncertainty over his fitness before the competition after he left an MLS match for Inter Miami with muscle fatigue in May, but Argentina’s captain showed no sign of discomfort as he dictated the game and finished clinically in front of goal.
After scoring his opener, Messi was visibly emotional and later revealed his reaction was unrelated to football.
“Why did I cry? It was something completely unrelated to football,” Messi said. “I went through some difficult days, but I’m grateful to the entire delegation and my teammates because they were always by my side.”
