Messi hails 'beautiful moment' after tying Cup goals record

Lionel Messi saluted a "beautiful moment" after becoming the World Cup's joint all-time leading goalscorer in his record-breaking appearance at his sixth World Cup on Tuesday.

The 38-year-old Argentina captain penned another memorable chapter in his storied career with a brilliant hat-trick in the South Americans' 3-0 win over Algeria at Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium.

Messi's hat-trick — his first ever in a World Cup — put him alongside Germany's Miroslav Klose as the top scorer in the tournament's history with 16 goals.

"To enjoy this with my family, with my teammates, the ones who are always there, is a really beautiful moment," Inter Miami star Messi said afterwards. "I'm happy."

Messi's razor-sharp eye for goal augurs well for Argentina's hopes of becoming the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cup titles.

"The squad, it's a very united, very strong group," Messi said.

"I feel good; we were lucky enough to win a tough match. It's important to start off with a win in the first game.

"I'm grateful to the fans, because, once again, they've shown that Argentina is crazy about this — we packed the stadium again."

On a night for the ages in Kansas City, the records kept tumbling for Argentina's miracle man, considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time.

When the match kicked off at the home of the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs, Messi became the first player to feature in six World Cup tournaments, in his 200th international match.

And the star veteran, who made his first appearance at a World Cup as a teenager in 2006, lit up the occasion with three goals in a clinical display by Argentina.

Messi produced a majestic finish from distance in the 17th minute, sparking a frenzy among his adoring fans, who had turned the match into a virtual home game.

He netted again in the second half from close range, gobbling up a rebound to take him just one goal behind the all-time record held by Klose.

Messi completed his first World Cup hat-trick with an unstoppable finish in the 76th minute.

The diminutive genius was substituted shortly afterward, forcing Argentine fans to wait to see their hero have a shot at the outright record.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, meanwhile, said he no longer has "the words to describe Messi".

"For 20 years, he's had us used to seeing things like this, and he inspires everyone who watches him play," Scaloni said of his star player.

Scaloni is now targeting Argentina's second Group J game against Austria on Monday, as the South Americans look to lock up their place in the knockout rounds.

"We're going to take it one game at a time. The team is happy; we gave playing time to a lot of players," Scaloni said.

"Hopefully, we can win the next one so everyone can be in the third group stage match."

Fluid in attack

The Group J match in the open-air stadium started at a frantic pace and both sides had early goals ruled out for offside, including one from Messi.

But Argentina took the lead when Rodrigo De Paul played a beautifully measured through ball, which Messi picked up before driving at goal and unleashing a fierce shot from outside the penalty area that curled away from goalkeeper Luca Zidane.

The South American team was largely in control, fluid in attack with its revered No 10 pulling the strings.

But, as the clock ticked toward halftime Algeria enjoyed a better spell, with Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez forced to parry a shot from Fares Chaibi.

Messi curled another effort over the bar in the early minutes of the second half and Zidane kept out a shot from Lautaro Martinez.

But the crowd did not have to wait long to celebrate another goal from the veteran Inter Miami forward.

Zidane failed to deal with a sizzling Alexis Mac Allister strike and Messi was there to sweep home in the 60th minute.

Time stood still six minutes later as Messi was through again, but this time Zidane pushed the ball over the bar.

It was enough to make Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes leap from his seat in anticipation.

Messi, though, was not to be denied, completing his hat-trick after being set up by substitute Nico Gonzalez.

'A madman'

Messi's hat-trick upstaged two of soccer's other stars — Kylian Mbappe of France and Erling Haaland of Norway — who had big games of their own on Tuesday. Mbappe scored twice in France's 3-1 win over Senegal, moving him into joint fourth on the World Cup goals list with 14, while Haaland scored twice for Norway in its 4-1 victory over Iraq.

"Messi is a madman," Haaland said in a post on Snapchat.

Messi, who turns 39 next week, had been dealing with a minor hamstring injury with Inter Miami that had slowed him in the lead-up to the World Cup, but the eight-time Ballon d'Or recipient had no problems in a tuneup against Iceland last week, scoring on a penalty kick while playing 20 minutes in a sharp performance.

"When I'm in good shape," Messi said, "I give it my all."

Earlier, the roads around the stadium were clogged as tens of thousands of Argentine fans streamed toward the ground dressed in blue and white, many with Messi's name on the back of their shirts.

Argentina's all-time top scorer is just the third man to reach 200 caps after Cristiano Ronaldo and Kuwait's Bader Al-Mutawa.

Ronaldo will equal Messi's record of six World Cup appearances if he plays for Portugal against DR Congo on Wednesday.

AGENCIES VIA XINHUA