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Messi equals Klose as top World Cup scorer, making history a two-man race
🇪🇸 Spain /Sports

Messi equals Klose as top World Cup scorer, making history a two-man race

From El País · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick against Algeria in his 2026 World Cup debut, equaling Miroslav Klose's record of 16 World Cup goals.
  • The Argentine star's performance places him alongside Klose as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.
  • Kylian Mbappé is close behind with 14 goals, setting up a potential future record-breaking race.

Lionel Messi has etched his name further into World Cup history, matching Miroslav Klose's long-standing record of 16 goals in the tournament. The Argentine maestro achieved this milestone with a stunning hat-trick in his opening match of the 2026 World Cup against Algeria.

Messi's remarkable performance not only secured a strong start for Argentina but also placed him in a tie with the German legend Klose, who accumulated his 16 goals over four previous World Cup editions. The feat underscores Messi's enduring impact on the global stage and his consistent ability to deliver crucial goals.

While Messi and Klose now share the top spot, the race for the record is far from over. French star Kylian Mbappé is hot on their heels with 14 World Cup goals. Mbappé, significantly younger than both Messi and Klose at their record-setting moments, is poised to challenge for the title of all-time leading scorer in future tournaments.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El País in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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