Where does Messi’s World Cup hat trick rank among Arrowhead’s greatest moments?
Those attending the FIFA World Cup contest between Argentina and Algeria won’t soon forget Lionel Messi’s magical moment. With a flair for the dramatic, Messi ascended to the top of the career World Cup goals list by completing a hat track in the 3-0 victory.
Electric stuff on the brightest stage from perhaps the greatest soccer player ever.
About that stage...
Arrowhead Stadium, known as Kansas City Stadium for the World Cup, has been the scene of many captivating sports occasions since opening in 1972. Were does the Messi game fit on the list of greatest Arrowhead games, when moments lived up to the hype?
Here are 10 games, with an emphasis on the regular tenant — the Chiefs — that brought the house down. Perhaps some recent-history bias is involved as well.
We’ll list them in reverse chronological order, you rank them:
June 16, 2026: The Messi game
A World Cup hat trick before an international audience, and it could have been more than three goals.
Messi found the net five minutes into the game, but the offside flag was raised. Still, this spellbinding performance will be remembered as one of the greatest in World Cup history. Call it the greatest game in Kansas City Stadium history.
Jan. 29, 2023: Avenging defeat
A year earlier in the same game, on the same turf, the Chiefs gagged away an 18-point lead against the Cincinnati Bengals to lose the AFC Championship Game. This time, the Chiefs held on for a 23-20 nail-biting victory sealed on Harrison Butker’s 45-yard field goal with three seconds remaining.
Jan. 22, 2022: 13 seconds to glory
The Buffalo Bills had the Chiefs beat in the AFC Divisional Round, leading by three when the Chiefs took possession at their 25 with 13 seconds remaining. But passes to Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce netted 44 yards and gave Butker room for a 49-yard field goal that sent the game into overtime.
Delirium continued when the Chiefs won the toss and finished the game with a Patrick Mahomes touchdown pass to Kelce for the miraculous victory.
Jan. 19, 2020: Mahomes run and bomb
Two plays defined the victory over the Tennessee Titans for the first AFC Championship in the Andy Reid and Mahomes era: Mahomes’ 27-yard touchdown run just before halftime that was equal parts strength and dexterity, and his game-clinching 60-yard bomb to Sammy Watkins.
In an ecstatic atmosphere, the Lamar Hunt Trophy finally was presented to the Chiefs.
Jan. 12, 2020: Comeback for the ages
In the Divisional Round, the Chiefs must have thought the game started a half-hour later, falling behind the Houston Texans 24-0. But they outscored Houston 51-7 the rest of the way to post the greatest comeback in team history.
Dec. 9, 2018: Last-gasp pass
Facing a fourth-and-9 from their 40, the Chiefs were down to their last gasp against the Baltimore. Mahomes was flushed right but managed to get off a deep pass across his body to Hill for a 48-yard completion that set up the game-tying touchdown. The Chiefs prevailed in overtime and Mahomes had the signature moment of his first MVP season.
July 25, 2010: More than a friendly
On goals by Davy Arnaud and Kei Kamara, the Kansas City Wizards defeated power Manchester United in a friendly that became a pivot point for the sport in KC. More than 52,000 watched the game that helped launch the area’s modern era of soccer that grew in scope large enough to become a World Cup host.
Nov. 24, 2007: Greatest Border War
The biggest game of the 2007 college football season was played at Arrowhead. No. 4 Missouri defeated No. 2 Kansas 36-28, and the Tigers vaulted to No. 1 in the next poll.
More than 80,000 clicked the turnstiles, and the largest TV audience to watch a regular-season game and pregame show that season tuned in.
Dec. 6, 2003: The purple bruise
As the Big 12 Championship Game arrived, top-ranked Oklahoma was being hailed as one of the greatest college football teams of all-time. Bill Snyder’s Kansas State Wildcats weren’t impressed. Behind quarterback Ell Roberson and running back Darren Sproles, the Cats clobbered the Sooners in jaw-dropping fashion 35-7.
Jan. 8, 1994: Montana’s KC moment
The Chiefs acquired Joe Montana with this in mind. Trailing 24-17 with 2:29 remaining, the Pittsburgh Steelers figured to punt and win the AFC Wild Card Game on defense. But Keith Cash burst through for the block, and a fourth-down strike to Tim Barnett in the back of the end zone tied it up.
Nick Lowery, who had missed a 43-yarder for the victory at the end of regulation, was true from 32 yards in overtime, and the Chiefs had an Arrowhead playoff triumph. There wouldn’t be another one until the 2018 season.
This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 12:24 PM with the headline "Where does Messi’s World Cup hat trick rank among Arrowhead’s greatest moments?."