The 2026 FIFA World Cup title defense for Argentina began with a statement of intent, as Lionel Messi spearheaded a clinical 3-0 victory over Algeria in their Group J opener. Played before a raucous crowd of nearly 70,000 at the Kansas City Stadium, the match will be remembered not just for the result, but for a milestone performance by the Argentine captain.
The milestone masterclass
In what was his 200th senior international appearance, Lionel Messi delivered a performance that silenced any questions regarding his form at the age of 38. The legendary forward recorded his first-ever FIFA World Cup hat-trick, a feat that pushed him into the history books on multiple fronts.
With his three goals, Messi brought his career World Cup tally to 16, drawing level with Germany's Miroslav Klose as the tournament's joint-top all-time goalscorer. Additionally, at 38 years and 357 days, Messi became the oldest player in history to score a hat-trick in a World Cup match, while also joining the elite ranks of players to have scored in five different editions of the tournament.
Match summary
The match began with a frantic energy as both sides had goals ruled out for offside within the first ten minutes – first Messi for Argentina, the Fares Chaibi for Algeria. However, once the deadlock was broken, Argentina never looked back. The scoring began in the 17th minute when Messi curled a strike from the edge of the area past goalkeeper Lucas Zidane. He doubled the lead in the 60th minute, pouncing on a rebound following a powerful effort from Alexis Mac Allister. Finally, in the 76th minute, Messi completed his historic hat-trick with a precise finish through heavy defensive traffic.
While Algeria, managed by Vladimir Petkovic, showed flashes of brilliance and maintained a competitive share of possession, they struggled to breach an Argentine defense anchored by Emiliano Martinez. Algeria's best efforts were blunted by the world champions' tactical control and superior finishing.
Looking ahead
The result places Argentina in a strong position with Group J as they look to secure an early path to the knockout rounds. For Algeria, the focus shifts to their upcoming fixtures, where they will look to recover their momentum. Argentina will face Austria in Arlington, Texas on June 22, while Algeria is set to play Jordan in Santa Clara, California on the same day.
As the tournament progresses, the world will be watching to see if Messi can claim the all-time goalscoring record outright and if Argentina can cement their status as favorites to go back-to-back.