Messi Leads 2026 World Cup Top Scorers After Hat-Trick Against Algeria

Lionel Messi, captain of Argentina's national team, secured the top spot in the 2026 World Cup top scorers list by netting three goals against Algeria in his country's opening match of the tournament.

The Argentine leader delivered an outstanding performance, scoring all three goals for his team. This contribution helped the reigning champions start their title defense on a perfect note and demonstrated that Messi remains capable of making a decisive impact on the world’s biggest football stage despite being 38 years old.

In a passionate stadium atmosphere, Messi dominated the scene from the early minutes, showing remarkable energy, influential movement, and exceptional finishing ability. He concluded the match with a historic hat-trick that energized the stands and recalled some of his greatest moments in international football.

Beyond securing three valuable points for Argentina at the start of their World Cup campaign, Messi's three goals also marked a new chapter in the tournament's history. With these goals, he raised his total to 16 World Cup goals, matching the record held by German striker Miroslav Klose. This achievement places Messi as a co-leader atop the all-time World Cup scorers list.

Leading Scorers of the 2026 World Cup

The current top scorers of the tournament are as follows:

• Lionel Messi (Argentina): 3 goals
• Folarin Balogun (United States): 2 goals
• Yassine El Ayari (Sweden): 2 goals
• Kai Havertz (Germany): 2 goals
• Elijah Just (New Zealand): 2 goals
• Erling Haaland (Norway): 2 goals
• Kylian Mbappé (France): 2 goals
• Imam Ashour (Egypt): 1 goal
• Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands): 1 goal
• Raúl Jiménez (Mexico): 1 goal
• Abdullah Al-Amri (Saudi Arabia): 1 goal
• Ayman Hussein (Iraq): 1 goal
• Ibrahim Mbaye (Senegal): 1 goal
• Bradley Barcola (France): 1 goal