Defending champions Argentina made a commanding start to their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign, defeating Algeria 3-0 in their Group J opener at Kansas City Stadium on Wednesday. The night belonged to Lionel Messi, who celebrated his 200th appearance for Argentina by scoring all three goals in a memorable performance.
Coming into the tournament with questions surrounding a minor hamstring issue, Messi quickly silenced any concerns. The Argentine captain opened the scoring in the 17th minute before adding two more goals in the second half, finding the net again in the 60th and 76th minutes to complete a landmark hat-trick.
Messi equals Klose's World Cup record
The three-goal haul carried Messi to 16 FIFA World Cup goals, drawing him level with Germany legend Miroslav Klose at the top of the tournament's all-time scoring charts.
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The hat-trick also helped the 38-year-old surpass several iconic names in World Cup history. Messi moved ahead of Brazil great Ronaldo Nazario, who scored 15 goals at the tournament, and extended his lead over Germany's Gerd Muller and France forward Kylian Mbappe, who both have 14.
Mbappe had reached the 14-goal mark only hours earlier after scoring twice in France's 3-1 victory over Senegal.
Another milestone for the Argentina captain
Messi's latest achievement added another chapter to an extraordinary international career. With goals in this edition of the tournament, he became only the second player in men's football history to score in five different FIFA World Cups.
Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo was the first to achieve the feat during the 2022 World Cup and is expected to feature later in the tournament when Portugal takes on DR Congo.
The occasion carried additional significance for Messi, as his goals arrived exactly 20 years after he made his World Cup debut for Argentina against Serbia and Montenegro.
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Argentina eyes rare back-to-back World Cup titles
Led by Lionel Scaloni, Argentina entered the tournament among the favourites and underlined their credentials with a dominant display. The reigning champions are aiming to become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend a World Cup crown.
Against an Algeria side making its first World Cup appearance since 2014, Argentina controlled proceedings throughout and began their title defence with a statement victory.
