'Ronaldo in first place, that's my opinion' — Pogrebnyak reacts to Messi's hat-trick
By OnzeActu · · 1 min read
After Argentina's 3-0 success against Algeria and Lionel Messi's hat-trick - which ties Miroslav Klose at 16 World Cup goals - Pavel Pogrebnyak praised the performance while saying he preferred Cristiano Ronaldo, calling his opinion subjective.
Pavel Pogrebnyak, former scorer for the Russian selection, reacted to Lionel Messi's hat-trick during the 2026 World Cup group match against Algeria (3-0). With his three goals, Messi equaled Miroslav Klose's total in World Cups, each now having 16 goals scored in the final tournament.
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Interviewed after the Pulga's performance, Pogrebnyak put the feat into perspective by giving his personal preference to Cristiano Ronaldo: “For me, Ronaldo is in first place, that's my subjective opinion. Of course, Messi is a leader, one of the best, but I prefer Ronaldo. I think this record of 16 goals at the World Cup will only hold until the next round,” reports Metaratings.
Collectively, this success allows Argentina to take the lead in Group J, while Algeria slips to last place in the group. The 2026 World Cup takes place in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19; Argentina defends its title of world champion there.