FULL LIST: World Cup records Messi holds, still chasing

Lionel Messi continues to etch his name in the FIFA World Cup record books, most recently with a stunning hat-trick in Argentina's 3-0 victory over Algeria on Wednesday.

This performance not only secured a significant win for Argentina but also saw the captain equal Miroslav Klose's all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals. Messi also matched Klose's record of 17 World Cup victories, further solidifying his legendary status in the tournament.

Beyond the scoring milestones, Messi achieved another unique feat by becoming the only player in World Cup history to score against eleven different national teams, surpassing previous records held by football icons Ronaldo Nazário of Brazil and Jürgen Klinsmann of Germany.

At 38 years and 357 days old, Messi also set a new record as the oldest player to score a hat-trick in World Cup history, eclipsing Cristiano Ronaldo's previous record. His remarkable consistency is further highlighted by the fact that he is the only player to have scored in every stage of a single World Cup, achieving this in Qatar in 2022.

Messi's extensive list of World Cup records also includes playing in six different editions, accumulating 27 appearances and counting, and playing the most minutes. He holds the outright record for most appearances as captain and has registered an assist in five different World Cups, a feat unmatched by any other player. He also shares the record for most assists in the knockout phase and most goal contributions in a single World Cup.

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World Cup goals record just a number, says Messi