Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said Lionel Messi continues to achieve the extraordinary after the captain scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 victory over Algeria at the World Cup on Wednesday.
Messi struck all three goals at Kansas City Stadium as Argentina strengthened their hopes of retaining the title. The hat-trick took his World Cup tally to 16 goals, drawing level with Germany great Miroslav Klose’s all-time men’s tournament record.
The match also marked another milestone for Messi. Making his 200th appearance for Argentina, the 38-year-old became the first men’s player to feature in six World Cups. He also became the oldest player to score a hat-trick at the tournament, exactly 20 years after netting his first World Cup goal.
Scaloni said he has stopped being surprised by the achievements of his captain.
“At this point, nothing he does surprises us anymore,” Scaloni said. “What he continues to do is difficult to explain. We are fortunate to witness it and enjoy it.”
Despite the convincing win, Scaloni warned his side against becoming complacent as they chase back-to-back World Cup titles.
“This team understands that any opponent can beat us,” he said. “If you become even a little overconfident, you can be punished. This World Cup has shown that unexpected results can happen. If we play the way we know we can, it will be very difficult for teams to beat us.”
