Messi Hails Ronaldo Nazario Despite Breaking World Cup Goal Record

Argentina captain, Lionel Messi, has paid tribute to Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario after surpassing his FIFA World Cup goals tally during Argentina’s opening match of the 2026 tournament.

Messi made the remarks after scoring a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria, a performance that saw him move past Ronaldo’s 15 World Cup goals and draw level with German great Miroslav Klose on 16 goals in the competition.

The 38-year-old forward, who currently plays for Inter Miami CF⁠, described Ronaldo as one of the greatest footballers in history and said he was surprised the Brazilian was not at the top of the World Cup scoring chart.

Speaking after the match, Messi said it was an honour to be mentioned alongside some of the greatest players the game has produced.

“It is a great honour to be able to compete with all these greats, including Ronaldo Nazario, among the players I have watched,” Messi said.

“He was one of the greatest players of all time, and yet he is not in first place. So in the end, it’s just a statistic.”

Messi’s latest achievement adds another milestone to an already remarkable international career. The Argentine captain has continued to rewrite football records and remains a key figure for the reigning world champions as they seek to defend the title they won in 2022.

His hat-trick against Algeria not only secured Argentina’s opening victory of the tournament but also reinforced his status as one of the most influential players in World Cup history.

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star has now joined Klose at the top of the World Cup scoring rankings and could move into sole possession of first place if he finds the net again during the tournament.

Argentina will return to action in their next Group J fixture against Austria, where Messi will have another opportunity to extend his historic goal tally and help La Albiceleste continue their strong start to the competition.