Messi scores a hat trick. Hackers score the Knicks' VIP list.

Morning Stew — Issue #4

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Issue #4 · by meme.app

It's Wednesday. Messi just reminded everyone he's the GOAT. Hackers leaked 45 GB of Knicks data. And FIFA discovered a genius new way to sell ads. Let's get into it.

— Stew

Box Score

via @Sofascore

Lionel's World, Everyone Else Just Paying Rent.

Following a historic Monday where all four World Cup matches ended in a draw for the first time in 68 years, the tournament's actual headliners finally showed up on Tuesday. Lionel Messi put on a clinic in Kansas City, scoring a hat trick to push Argentina to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Algeria. Earlier in the day, Kylian Mbappé and France cruised past Senegal 3-1, while Erling Haaland's Norway dismantled Iraq 4-1. The group stage is officially awake after an opening-week snooze fest.

Cool stat: At 38, Messi didn't just win the night, he rewrote the record book twice. The hat trick came in his 200th appearance for Argentina and pushed him to 24 career World Cup goals and assists combined, passing a record that had stood since 1970.

TRIVIA #1: Whose record for the most combined goals and assists in World Cup history did Messi break last night? (Answer below)

He also became the oldest player ever to score a World Cup hat trick, at 38 years and 357 days, breaking a mark his greatest rival set at age 33 during the 2018 tournament in Russia.

TRIVIA #2: Which player held the record for the oldest World Cup hat trick before Messi took it last night? (Answer below)

So what: Argentina is chasing the first back-to-back World Cup since Brazil did it in 1962, and a 38-year-old who's supposed to be in decline just opened the title defense by breaking two all-time records in one night. The expanded 48-team field was sold as the great equalizer, and Monday's four straight draws backed that up. Then Tuesday happened. Father Time stays undefeated. He's just in no rush with this one.

Also Trending

🏈

Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby is entering the NFL supplemental draft. Sorsby, who bet on his own team at least 40 times at Indiana and got a court injunction to play anyway, bailed under Big 12 pressure and a June 22 deadline. If approved, his arm talent could land a second-round pick, which would be the first supplemental draft selection since 2019. [ESPN]

💰

Hackers published 45 GB of Knicks and Madison Square Garden data. The cybercrime group ShinyHunters set a ransom deadline, MSG didn't pay, and the dump went live right as the Knicks were winning a championship. The leaked files include VIP profiles with internal risk ratings. Ben Stiller: "Low Risk." A Boogie wit da Hoodie: "High Risk." No documented criteria for either. This is MSG's second breach in under a year. [404 Media]

🏀

The Giannis sweepstakes are heating up, but nobody can close. Miami wants him badly and the feeling is reportedly mutual, but Milwaukee isn't sold on a Herro/Jaquez/Ware package. The Heat may need a third team to sweeten the pot. Meanwhile, Boston has kicked the tires, which would mean moving Jaylen Brown, but league sources are skeptical the Celtics would blow up a championship-proven system for a player-agent-driven deal. [ESPN]

⚽

European soccer fans are losing their minds over World Cup ad breaks. FIFA added 3-minute "hydration breaks" halfway through each half for "player welfare." Fox is cutting to commercials during them. There was a hydration break after 10 PM in Massachusetts. There was one inside an air-conditioned stadium. Powerade is the official sponsor. This has nothing to do with ad revenue. [Yahoo]

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Chiefs WR Rashee Rice is out of jail. Rice served 30 days in Dallas County for violating probation with a positive THC test. Cameras caught the 26-year-old sprinting from reporters and diving into a waiting SUV, which then blew through a crosswalk. For a guy rehabbing knee surgery, he looked pretty quick on his feet. Video · X →

⚾	Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong hit for the cycle on Monday. The 13th player in franchise history to do it, and the first to do it in reverse order. Then he hilariously got picked off at first during the standing ovation. Video · X →

⚽	Norway fans did a "Viking Row" up the escalator at Boston's South Station. Just watch. Video · X →

For the Group Chat

Meme Impaired: The Browns have cycled through Deshaun Watson ($230M guaranteed, barely played), Kenny Pickett (Steelers castoff), Shedeur Sanders (drafted this year), Taylen Green, and DTR (Dorian Thompson-Robinson) at quarterback. Dillon Gabriel is their current starter. Drafting the guy who bet on his own games would be very on brand.

Meme Impaired: Top to bottom: Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves to Knicks), Sam Darnold (Vikings to Seahawks), Kevin Love (Timberwolves to Cavaliers), Kevin Garnett (Timberwolves to Celtics), David Ortiz (Twins to Red Sox). All left Minnesota and won championships elsewhere.

Meme Impaired: Left to right: Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico, goalkeeper), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Luka Modric (Croatia). All four debuted at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Trivia Answer #1

Pelé

Messi's 24 goals and assists passed Pelé's 21, a World Cup record that had stood since 1970.

Trivia Answer #2

Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo set the oldest-hat-trick mark at 33 against Spain in the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The World Cup is here and it's already delivering. The Knicks parade is Thursday, the US Open begins tomorrow, and the group stage is just getting started. See you Friday.

One thing: I'd love to know what you think of Morning Stew so far. What do you like? What's missing? What do you want more of? Hit reply and tell me.

— Stew

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Messi scores a hat trick. Hackers score the Knicks' VIP list.

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