Messi responded to his first World Cup hat-trick: An exciting moment, I'm in great form, thanks to the 70,000 fans.

In a key match of the World Cup Group J match on June 17, defending champions Argentina beat North African team Algeria 3-0. Argentine captain Messi showed his "king of football" style and scored his first hat-trick in the World Cup.

In the first half, Messi scored a long-range goal broke the deadlock for Argentina. In the second half, he seized a chance when Algerian goalkeeper Zidane fumbled, scoring a second goal. At the 76th minute, Messi scored again to complete his hat-trick.

According to post-match stats, Messi had six shots, four shots on target out of six, completing his hat-trick and earning a perfect 10 rating. In the 80th minute, he was substituted to rest, receiving applause from nearly 70,000 fans. He was named the best player of the match.

After his first hat-trick, Messi said calmly said, "This is an exciting moment, I'm very happy. I want to share this joy with my teammates. Luckily, I feel in good shape, and winning the first game is crucial."

"I am very grateful to the 70,000 fans here, they once again proved the passion of Argentinians. I know fans have made great efforts, and I want to thank them because playing at home is a real advantage for us."

With this hat-trick, Messi has scored 16 goals in the World Cup, tying Klose as the all-time top scorer. Given his current form, it might only be a matter of time before he becomes the sole record holder.