Lionel Messi Leads Argentina to Victory with Hat Trick Against Algeria
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The World Cup came back, and Lionel Messi picked up exactly where he left off.
New tournament, new continent, same ruthless certainty.
Argentina’s captain struck a hat trick in a 3–0 win over Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, launching the holders’ title defense and dragging himself level with Miroslav Klose at the summit of World Cup goalscoring history with 16.
He is 38 years old. It did not look like it.
Messi wastes no time
Two years ago, Argentina opened a World Cup with a jolt, stunned by Saudi Arabia before roaring back to lift the trophy. There was no repeat of that drama in Kansas City. Not with Messi in this mood.
Seventeen minutes in, he tilted the night his way.
Messi drifted into that familiar inside-right pocket, linked sharply with Rodrigo De Paul, then stepped into space. One touch to set, one to unleash. From outside the box, his left foot ripped through the ball and sent it arcing into the top corner, past a helpless Luca Zidane. The Algerian goalkeeper, son of Zinedine Zidane, could only watch it flash by.
Argentina relaxed. The crowd didn’t.
The defending champions pushed for a second before the break. Thiago Almada found himself in a promising position but failed to convert, while Lautaro Martínez forced Zidane into a strong save with a low drive. Algeria hung on, trailing by just one at halftime, but the gap in control felt wider than the scoreline.
Pressure breaks Algeria
The second half turned into a test of resistance for Algeria. Argentina kept the ball, kept probing, kept Messi at the heart of everything.
Just after the hour, the pressure finally broke them.
Alexis Mac Allister burst into the area and saw his effort parried by Zidane. The rebound fell where Algeria least wanted it: at Messi’s feet. One composed finish later, the lead doubled, the stadium roaring as he wheeled away. Goal No. 16 at World Cups. Level with Klose. History, caught in stride.
Argentina smelled blood. Messi nearly had his third within minutes, slipping in behind the back line and facing Zidane one-on-one. This time the goalkeeper won, standing tall to block the low attempt and keep Algeria afloat a little longer.
Messi then went down in the box under contact and appealed for a penalty, arms spread wide in disbelief when the referee waved play on. No whistle, no VAR intervention, play continued. The sense, though, was that his night still had another decisive touch in it.
Record in sight, crowd on its feet
It came in the 76th minute, with a move that looked simple only because he made it so.
Nicolás González threaded a pass into Messi’s stride on the edge of the area. No need for power this time. Messi opened his body and slid a low, precise finish into the corner, beyond Zidane’s reach. Hat trick complete. Argentina 3, Algeria beaten.
Arrowhead rose to salute him. Blue-and-white shirts bounced in the stands, phones lifted to capture yet another piece of his catalogue. When he was substituted late on, the ovation rolled around the stadium, long and loud, the kind reserved for legends who still refuse to fade.
Argentina saw out the match with minimal fuss, banking three points and a clean sheet to start Group J. The upset that haunted their last World Cup opener never threatened to reappear.
Messi now stands alongside Klose with 16 World Cup goals and, crucially, with more games ahead in this group against Austria and Jordan. The record is no longer a distant chase. It is right there, waiting to be taken.
The only real question after a night like this is how much higher he intends to push it.
