Video: Lionel Messi’s superb solo goal that made World Cup history – and perhaps settled GOAT debate for good

Lionel Messi scored his 16th World Cup goal in some style as his hat-trick gave Argentina a 3-0 win over Algeria last night.

The 38-year-old is now level with legendary Germany striker Miroslav Klose as the World Cup’s all-time leading goal-scorer, and you’d very much assume he’s going to break that record as there will still be so many more opportunities to do so at this year’s tournament.

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Lionel Messi strikes from distance and completes his hat-trick! pic.twitter.com/ZtSoFhPbS5

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 17, 2026

Lionel Messi strikes from distance and completes his hat-trick! pic.twitter.com/ZtSoFhPbS5

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 17, 2026

Messi, playing at his sixth World Cup, is now on a record-equalling 16 goals in the tournament, and you have to wonder if this might even go a step further to settling the GOAT (greatest of all time) debate between himself and Cristiano Ronaldo.

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Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup

The Messi-Ronaldo debate has gone on for much of the last decade or more now, but the fact that Messi won the 2022 World Cup, scoring twice in that final victory over France, will have been decisive for some.

The fact that Messi is now also joint top as the all-time record scorer at the World Cup, scoring double the amount that his Portuguese nemesis has at this level, is another big argument in his favour.

Ronaldo, of course, is still playing at this year’s World Cup, so can do his best to catch up with Messi, but it’s hard to imagine he stands much of a chance of meaningfully catching up.

Interestingly for Messi, though, he may have another major rival to watch out for as Kylian Mbappe is only two World Cup goals behind him, having scored twice for France in their win over Senegal yesterday.