Kansas City, June 17: Lionel Messi turned back the clock in spectacular fashion as defending champions Argentina opened their World Cup title defence with a commanding 3-0 win over Algeria, with the 38-year-old captain scoring the first hat-trick of his storied World Cup career.
Playing his record sixth World Cup, becoming the first man in history to feature at six editions of the tournament, Messi looked to have broken the deadlock as early as the eighth minute with a close-range finish, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Algeria themselves were denied moments later when Fares Chaibi’s effort was also chalked off for offside, in an even start to the Group J opener.
Messi did not have to wait long to get his name on the scoresheet for real. In the 17th minute, after Argentina won back the ball in a promising position, Messi embarked on one of his trademark mazy runs before unleashing a powerful left-footed drive from the edge of the box that beat Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane, son of French World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane.
The Inter Miami forward doubled his and Argentina’s tally on the hour mark, tapping in a simple finish after Alexis Mac Allister’s driven effort came back off the goalkeeper and fell invitingly into his path.
The moment that will live longest in the memory came in the 76th minute, when Messi drilled a low, precise finish from just outside the box past a helpless Zidane to complete his treble. The goal also carried historic significance, taking Messi level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the joint-highest scorer in World Cup history with 16 career goals.
Visibly emotional, Messi was withdrawn three minutes later to a standing ovation from the crowd, with Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni appearing to manage his star’s workload following a minor hamstring concern that had threatened his World Cup buildup. Messi had eased any fitness worries with a brief, productive outing in a pre-tournament warm-up match against Iceland, where he scored from the penalty spot.
Algeria’s head coach acknowledged after the match that his side had made things too easy for Messi on the night, conceding that few players in the world possess the same ability to seize the big moments. Argentina, who suffered an opening-match upset against Saudi Arabia at the last World Cup before going on to lift the trophy, will be hoping this dominant start sets the tone for their bid to become only the third nation to defend the World Cup. They next face Austria in their second Group J fixture.
The win added to a high-scoring day in the United States, with Kylian Mbappe scoring twice as France beat Senegal 3-1, and Erling Haaland netting a brace in Norway’s 4-1 win over Iraq. Cristiano Ronaldo is set to equal Messi’s record of six World Cup appearances when Portugal face the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday.
For Messi, the night was another extraordinary chapter in an international career that began in 2005 and now includes 200 caps, an eighth Ballon d’Or, and a place at the very top of football’s most prestigious scoring charts.
