Messi rolls back the years with World Cup treble

Argentina's Lionel Messi (10) celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the World Cup Group J soccer match between Argentina and Algeria in Kansas City, Mo. (AP )

KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 17 (AP): Lionel Messi used the front of his white-and-blue, sweat-soaked jersey to wipe the tears from his eyes, a flood of emotions cracking his usually calm, confident demeanor after he gave Argentina an early lead in its World Cup opener against Algeria.

Then he scored again. And again.

Suddenly, any questions about Messi's hamstring injury, or whether he could help Argentina become the third team to win consecutive World Cups - even as his 39th birthday approaches next week - had been answered. With a brilliant hat trick in a 3-0 win over Les Fennecs, Messi moved into a tie with Germany's Miroslav Klose for the career scoring record at the men's World Cup.

"My tears after the first goal? I’ve had some tough days. It wasn’t related to football. And those feelings were because of that,” Messi said afterward, without elaborating. "I thank my teammates, the coaching staff, and the delegation for helping me.”

Messi scored that emotional first goal in the opening minutes on a nifty feed from Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, the second off an opportunistic rebound early in the second half, and the third on a crisp strike moments before subbing out to a standing ovation from a crowd of 69,045 tilted heavily toward the three-time World Cup champions.

"At a loss for words about Leo. What can I say?” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. "He’s incredible.”

His incredible trio of goals came 20 years to the day that Messi made his World Cup debut in a match against Serbia and Montenegro - he scored in that one, too - and made the pride of Rosario only the second player to score in five editions of the men's tournament.

Messi has 16 goals in his record six World Cup appearances overall, and it seems inevitable that Klose's record will fall in the coming weeks. The hat trick was the 61st of Messi's career, his 11th while playing in his national team colors, and his first in the World Cup.

It was also the fifth straight World Cup game in which Messi has scored.

"It makes me very happy to have lived through everything that came my way. What I’m living through now is the cherry on top,” Messi said. "I’m very happy and grateful for this wonderful group. I enjoy it so much.”