Lionel Messi opened Argentina’s World Cup defense with a special hat-trick, his first ever in the tournament, in a 3-0 win vs. Algeria in Kansas City on Tuesday.

Messi’s Record-Tying Performance

Messi is now tied with Germany’s Miroslav Klose with 16 goals all time in the men’s tournament. He was subbed off for rising youngster Nico Paz with 10 minutes to go before stoppage time, so he couldn’t break the record in the same night.

Messi’s first goal came in the 17th minute when Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul delivered a perfect splitting ball that broke Algeria’s mid-block. Messi then turned and ran into space before drilling one past goalie Luca Zidane.

Messi then made it a brace in the 60th minute. Alexis Mac Allister attempted a long-range hit of his own that rolled kindly, with the parry by Zidane not going as planned. La Pulga was the first to it on the rebound and poked home, showing off his attacking instincts.

Messi then made it a hat-trick in the 76th minute with another curling effort with his left boot, this time going lower. It simply had too much power for Zidane to reach.

Original reporting: NBC4 Los Angeles — read the source article.