Lionel Messi scores his first World Cup hat-trick as Argentina open their title defence against Algeria with a 3-0 win. Multiple outlets report that Messi reaches 16 World Cup goals, equalling Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the tournament’s joint all-time leading scorer. The hat-trick comes during Argentina’s match with Algeria, with at least one report specifying Messi’s third goal arrives in the 76th minute. The milestone is described as Messi’s first World Cup hat-trick in his career, and it places him level with Klose on the all-time scoring list. Reports also note Messi extends a goal-scoring run across World Cups, including that he scores in consecutive tournament matches, and mention his long Argentina career mark, including his 200th appearance for the national team. Several sources add that Messi becomes the first player to make six World Cup appearances, highlighting his experience and longevity at the tournament. Coverage also notes Messi’s age as a factor in the record-setting nature of the performance, with some outlets describing him as the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick.