By Nana Karikari, Senior Global Affairs Correspondent
Lionel Messi, the legendary Argentine captain, cemented his status in football history on Tuesday by scoring a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria to open their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign. His performance at Kansas City Stadium moved him level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the tournament’s joint-top all-time scorer with 16 goals.
A landmark performance
The reigning champions entered the match aiming to become only the third nation to successfully defend the World Cup title. Making his 200th international appearance, Messi became the first player to compete in six separate World Cups. At 38 years old, he also secured the record as the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the competition’s history. The opening of the match was frantic for both sides. Messi had an early effort disallowed for offside in the opening minutes, and Algeria experienced a similar setback shortly thereafter. Messi eventually broke the deadlock in the 17th minute. He collected a pass from Rodrigo De Paul and curled a strike past goalkeeper Luca Zidane.
Tactical dominance in Kansas City
Argentina maintained their pressure throughout the second half. Messi doubled the lead in the 60th minute, capitalizing on a fumble by Zidane following a long-range effort from Alexis Mac Allister. He sealed his first World Cup hat-trick in the 76th minute, firing a shot into the net after receiving the ball from substitute Nicolas Gonzalez. The result marked a significant shift for Argentina, as it was their first opening-match victory in a World Cup as defending champions. The team had previously suffered losses in their opening matches in 1982 and 1990.
Tournament trajectory and team dynamics
Argentina’s victory sets a positive tone for the group stage, with upcoming matches scheduled against Austria and Jordan. The performance silenced lingering questions regarding Messi’s fitness and his role within the squad. While Algeria fans called for disciplinary action following a first-half challenge by Messi on Aissa Mandi, the Argentine captain remained on the pitch to complete his historic treble.
Teammate Alexis Mac Allister praised the influence of the veteran captain following the final whistle. “There are no words to describe it,” Mac Allister stated. “I think if anyone thought this team was better without Leo, today it became clear that Leo is the most important player of all. And that we have to build a team around him, where he feels comfortable.”
Opposing defender Aissa Mandi also offered high praise for the Argentine forward despite the defeat. “What makes the difference is they have a player who doesn’t forgive,” Mandi said. “Almost every chance ends up in the back of the net. He’s a player, maybe the best player of all time, so that’s his efficiency, and it’s formidable. We knew it, we tried to limit him as much as possible, but it didn’t work.”
Reflecting on the importance of the result, Mac Allister emphasized the squad’s focus on momentum. “While we had the experience of the last World Cup, where we started, perhaps not in the best way, and ended up winning, we know how important it is to start with a win, to gain confidence,” he said.
With this emphatic opening statement, the defending champions have signaled their intent to retain their global crown, shifting the focus to their next pivotal encounter against Austria.
