Argentina opened their 2026 World Cup title defense with a 3-0 victory over Algeria on Tuesday in Kansas City, Missouri. Playing at Arrowhead Stadium, the reigning champions secured the win behind a majestic hat-trick from 38-year-old Lionel Messi.
With these three goals, Messi became the first player to feature in six World Cups and equaled former Germany striker Miroslav Klose's all-time scoring record of 16 goals. The hat-trick, completed in the 76th minute, came exactly 20 years to the day after Messi's World Cup debut. The performance vindicated coach Lionel Scaloni's assertion that the veteran remains fundamental to the team.
Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic stated that his team's mistakes made it easier for Messi to achieve the record-breaking feat. In other tournament action, France cruised to a 3-1 win over Senegal in their campaign opener. Senegal entered the match after their recent AFCON title was stripped on a technicality and awarded to Morocco.