Mbappé lit up the group stage — two goals, the brightest name on the board. Then Lionel Messi answered, and the record book started turning pages.
After Argentina’s win over Algeria, Messi didn’t just score — he rewrote World Cup history, one milestone at a time:
Five World Cups with a goal — only the second player ever, after Cristiano Ronaldo, to score in five different World Cups.
Goals and assists in five different tournaments — the first player in World Cup history to do it.
24 goal involvements — 16 goals + 8 assists across 27 matches, the most in World Cup history.
16 World Cup goals — Argentina’s all-time record, and now level with Miroslav Klose atop the all-time World Cup scorers list.
11 different opponents scored against — more than any player in World Cup history.
6 goals from outside the box — the most ever at a World Cup.
20 years and 1 day between his first World Cup goal and this one — the longest span in history.
The oldest player to score 2+ in a match, and the oldest to score a World Cup hat-trick.
Mbappé may have owned the early headlines. But on this night, Messi reminded everyone why the record book has his name written all over it. 
Mesa de Redacción · stats compiled post-match