Argentina captain Lionel Messi has surged to the top of the scoring charts at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after netting a hat-trick in his side’s commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria.
The veteran forward produced a masterclass at Kansas City Stadium, scoring all three goals as the reigning world champions opened their Group J campaign in emphatic fashion.
Messi’s treble also saw him draw level with Germany great Miroslav Klose as the joint-leading scorer in World Cup history, adding another milestone to his remarkable international career.
The 39-year-old currently leads the race for the Golden Boot, although several high-profile challengers are close behind.
France star Kylian Mbappé scored twice in Les Bleus’ 3-1 victory over Senegal, while Norway striker Erling Haaland also struck a brace in a 4-1 win over Iraq.
Other players with two goals after the opening round of matches include United States forward Folarin Balogun, Sweden’s Yasin Ayari, Germany midfielder Kai Havertz and New Zealand attacker Elijah Just.
Golden Boot standings
Three goals
* Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Two goals
* Folarin Balogun (United States)
* Yasin Ayari (Sweden)
* Kai Havertz (Germany)
* Elijah Just (New Zealand)
* Erling Haaland (Norway)
* Kylian Mbappé (France)
With the group stage still in its infancy, the race for the tournament’s top-scorer award is already shaping up to be one of the major storylines of the World Cup.
