Lionel Messi stole the show on day six of the 2026 World Cup as the football icon netted his first hat-trick in the competition in a 3-0 win over Algeria. The footy god may be seeing out his career at David Beckham's Inter Miami in the MLS at the grand old age of 38, but he still has magic in his boots and outshone Premier League goal machine Erling Haaland's feats for Norway against Iraq earlier.
Elsewhere, there was tragic news with the death of a fan who had travelled to the US to support his beloved Scotland and a candid admission from England manager Thomas Tuchel ahead of England's opening game of the tournament against Croatia this evening. Here's your overnight World Cup round-up.
Messi Magic
Messi etched his name into the record books twice during Argentina's World Cup encounter with Algeria, with his treble marking the first occasion he has netted three times in a single match at the tournament. The 38-year-old has now drawn level with Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals, and it seems inevitable he will surpass that figure in the weeks ahead as the reigning champions defend their crown from the 2022 tournament.
Erling Haaland was among those left speechless by Messi's performance, taking to Snapchat to express his admiration by posting: "Messi is a madman [crown emoji]."
Haaland and Mbappe on Target
Earlier, Haaland matched Kylian Mbappe's achievement with an impressive double from the Manchester City man against Iraq. Real Madrid ace Mbappe had found the net twice in his team's 3-1 triumph over Senegal just hours before, briefly drawing level with Folarin Balogun, Kai Havertz, and Elijah Just as the 2026 World Cup joint-leading scorer.
France toiled in the first half against Senegal but came alive in the second 45 minutes, with Bayern Munich marvel Michael Olise's combining with Mbappe to devastating effect. Liverpool transfer target Bradley Barcola then came off the bench and the Paris Saint-Germain star added a great second with impressive movement, before Ibrahim Mbaye pulled one back in added time for Senegal, only for Mbappe to instantly reply with a third.
Norway made their first appearance at World Cup since 1998, Iraq since 1986, and Haaland scored after 28 minutes to put his side into the lead, before Aymen Hussein levelled the scores with a brilliant header 10 minutes later. Haaland scored a second after a goalkeeping howler from Jalal Hassan after 42 minutes. Leo Ostgard netted a second half header from a Martin Odegaard corner, before Kristian Thorstvedt scored in stoppage time from a Haaland assist in a 4-1 victory.
Fan's Death
There was tragic news emerging overnight with confirmation that Scotland fan Donny Strathie had died in Boston on Sunday, aged 76. He had a ticket for the Tartan Army's forthcoming fixture against Morocco, with his relatives requesting a tribute be held during that match on Friday. The dad-of-two, from Grangemouth, was a lifelong supporter of the Scotland team, and a heartfelt poster circulating online is urging fans to participate in a minute's applause during the 76th minute in his honour.
Thomas Tuchel's Stance
Thomas Tuchel's press conference ahead of England's opening game against Croatia was held overnight and the Three Lions manager revealed he is "not there yet" regarding singing the English national anthem. As the action in Group L prepares to get underway this evening, the German coach admitted: "Not yet, I think we are not there yet. At the very end maybe, I am still a bit shy, I don't want to offend people and don't want to have the focus on that now.
"But I feel basically at home when I land, when I fly home. I would say now: 'I fly home' when I fly home to my home in London and it feels like home when I land in London and I'm in England. Yeah, it feels like that. I can't explain it but it felt like this from the first weeks at Chelsea, it just felt so good to be in the country and in the city of course, and be a part of Premier League. Every day was a gift, almost, it just felt like to be in the right place with the right mindset of players, and what the league brings out of players and what the fans expect from the players, and from the coach, it was just... it just made me feel very comfortable. I liked it from the first day, it was so easy for me to adapt, that's why... I cannot say often enough, I'm grateful, and it's an honour for me to be England head coach and nobody wants it more than me."
