Lionel Messi scored a hat trick as Argentina beat Algeria 3-0 in its opening FIFA World Cup 2026 match in Kansas City on Wednesday.
The Argentina captain enjoyed a memorable night in his 200th international appearance. He became the first player to play in six World Cups and later matched Miroslav Klose’s record as the highest scorer in World Cup history.
Argentina controlled the match from the start. Messi thought he had scored in the fifth minute, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
The breakthrough came in the 17th minute. Rodrigo De Paul passed the ball to Messi inside the Algerian half. The 38-year-old moved forward and struck a powerful shot from outside the box. Goalkeeper Luca Zidane had no chance as the ball flew into the net.
The goal was Messi’s 14th in World Cup matches. It moved him level with Kylian Mbappe and Gerd Muller on the all time World Cup scoring list.
Argentina continued to dominate possession. Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez and De Paul controlled the midfield while Algeria struggled to create chances.
Messi doubled the lead in the 60th minute. Mac Allister’s shot slipped through Zidane’s hands and the loose ball fell to Messi. The captain reacted quickly and scored from close range.
That goal took Messi to 15 World Cup goals. He moved level with Brazil great Ronaldo Nazario.
Algeria tried to respond but could not break through Argentina’s defence. Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez kept the African side quiet throughout the match.
Messi completed his hat trick in the 76th minute. He passed to Nico Gonzalez on the left and continued his run into the box. Gonzalez returned the ball and Messi fired a low shot into the bottom corner.
The third goal took his World Cup tally to 16 and drew him level with Klose at the top of the all time scoring chart.
It was Messi’s first World Cup hat trick. He also became the oldest player to score a hat trick in the tournament at 38 years of age.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni replaced Messi in the 79th minute. The crowd rose to applaud the captain after another historic performance.
Argentina comfortably saw out the remaining minutes to secure all three points. The defending champion made a strong start to its campaign, while Messi once again showed why he remains one of football’s greatest players.
