Lionel Messi makes history, becoming only the second player to score in five World Cups
Argentina’s Lionel Messi (10) celebrates after scoring the opening goal. (AP photo) Lionel Messi added another chapter to his remarkable legacy on Tuesday, becoming only the second player in history to score in five different World Cups as defending champions Argentina dominated Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium.In his record sixth appearance at soccer’s biggest tournament, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner broke the deadlock with a trademark finish to hand Argentina a 1-0 lead and send a sea of blue and white into the Kansas City venue to celebrate.Messi earlier thought he had opened the scoring but his effort was ruled out for offside. But the Argentina captain was not to be denied, finding space in the Algerian defense before comfortably beating goalkeeper Luca Zidane for his 14th World Cup goal.The strike came exactly 20 years after Messi made his World Cup debut against Serbia and Montenegro in Germany in 2006.
Lionel Messi joins Cristiano Ronaldo in an exclusive club
With the goal, Messi joined Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo as the only players to score in five different editions of the World Cup. Ronaldo became the first player to do so at Qatar 2022 and is also set to make his sixth tournament appearance.Messi’s latest milestone came in his 200th international appearance for Argentina, two decades after he made his senior debut as an 18-year-old in 2005.Only Ronaldo, who is set to earn his 229th cap against DR Congo, and Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa have made more international appearances among men.
Climbing the all-time World Cup rankings
Messi doubled his tally on the night with a simple tap-in in the 60th minute and continued his relentless climb up the list of the World Cup’s top goalscorers. Sixteen minutes later, the Argentine champion rolled back the years with a trademark finish to complete his hat-trick and take his tally to 16 goals in the tournament.The treble lifted Argentina captain level with German legend Miroslav Klos at the top of the historic World Cup charts. Messi’s extraordinary tally continues to grow with each appearance on football’s biggest stage.With 16 goals, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner moved clear of Brazilian icon Ronaldo Nazario, who is now alone in third place with 15. Close behind Ronaldo are French superstar Kylian Mbappe and West German great Gerd Muller, both with 14 goals.Mbappe had earlier struck twice in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal, briefly leveling Muller, before Messi’s latest masterclass saw him clear and etch his name alongside Klose at the top of the World Cup’s goalscoring history.