At Kansas City Stadium on Tuesday, Lionel Messi delivered an unforgettable performance, scoring a complete hat-trick to lead defending champions Argentina to a deserved 3-0 win over Algeria in their Group J opener at the 2026 World Cup. (Sky Sports)
Goal Timeline
- 17' Messi — Long-range strike from a De Paul through ball, beating keeper Luca Zidane (son of Zinedine Zidane).
- 60' Messi — Tap-in after turning home a parried Mac Allister effort.
- 76' Messi — A low, bending strike from the edge of the box to complete his first World Cup hat-trick.
Records Tumble
With his third goal, Messi drew level with Miroslav Klose's all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals, and became the oldest player to score multiple goals in a single World Cup match, surpassing Roger Milla. (FIFA)
Group J After Matchday 1
Algeria, returning to the World Cup, were undone by a champion at his best. Two matches remain for them in a group that also features Austria and Jordan. (ESPN)
Follow Malaab Al-An for full Group J and World Cup 2026 coverage.