World Cup Desk – Lionel Messi kicked off his World Cup campaign in spectacular fashion, netting a brilliant hat-trick to secure a dominant 3-0 victory for Argentina against Algeria.
The reigning world champions are now gearing up for their next group-stage match against Austria, scheduled for Monday at 11:00 PM (Bangladesh Time).
While a win will seal Argentina’s spot in the knockout stage, all eyes will also be on Messi, who stands on the precipice of three historic World Cup records.
1. Becoming the All-Time Top Scorer
With his hat-trick against Algeria, Messi equaled the legendary German striker Miroslav Klose’s record for the most goals in World Cup history, bringing his tally to 16.
If the Argentine maestro finds the back of the net against Austria, he will stand alone at the top as the sole highest goal scorer in World Cup history with 17 goals.
2. Matching Klose’s Winning Record
Messi is also on the verge of matching another of Klose’s long-standing milestones. The former German forward holds the record for witnessing the most World Cup match victories, with 17 wins.
Following the win against Algeria, Messi—who is participating in his sixth World Cup—tied Brazil’s iconic Cafu with 16 wins. A victory against Austria will tie him with Klose, giving him the perfect opportunity to shatter the record entirely later in the tournament.
3. Chasing Rivelino’s Long-Range Goal Record
The record for the most World Cup goals scored from outside the box currently belongs to Brazil’s Rivelino, who scored 5 long-range goals across the 1970 and 1974 World Cups.
By scoring his first goal against Algeria from outside the penalty area, Messi scored his 4th long-range World Cup goal. Another such goal against Austria will see him equal Rivelino’s decades-old record.
With history beckoning and a knockout spot on the line, Monday’s clash promises to be a monumental night for Lionel Messi and football fans worldwide.