Lionel Messi just did the thing that everyone assumed he’d eventually do, but nobody expected him to do quite like this. A hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina’s 3-0 group stage victory brought his World Cup goal tally to 16, tying Miroslav Klose’s all-time record. He’s 38 years old.
And now the man who once held that record’s South American equivalent is tipping his cap. Ronaldo Nazário, the Brazilian striker whose 15 World Cup goals across four tournaments made him a generational icon, offered full-throated praise for his longtime rival’s national team.
“If anyone deserves the title of the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history, it’s definitely Messi.”
A record performance at an impossible age
At 38, Messi became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in World Cup history. He also became the first player in history to participate in six FIFA World Cups. His World Cup journey began in 2006 in Germany. The 16 goals now put him level with Germany’s Klose, who set the record at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
