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Lionel Messi becomes joint all-time leading World Cup goalscorer, calls record "just a statistic
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
Argentina captain Lionel Messi has become the joint all-time leading goalscorer in the World Cup after scoring a hat-trick in Argentina's 3-0 victory over Algeria. Messi's three goals, his first hat-trick in a World Cup, bring his total to 16, matching Germany's Miroslav Klose. Brazilian great Ronaldo is next on the list with 15 goals, followed by Gerd Muller and France's Kylian Mbappe. Messi described the achievement as a "beautiful moment" to share with his family and teammates, but downplayed its significance, stating, "ultimately, it is just a statistic, nothing more." Argentina's coach Lionel Scaloni praised Messi, saying he no longer had "the words to describe Messi" and that he inspires everyone. Midfielder Alexis Mac Allister emphasized Messi's continued importance to the team, while Rodrigo De Paul called him "a beast."
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