Argentina, the reigning world champion, opened its World Cup 2026 campaign with a dominant 3-0 win over Algeria on Saturday morning. The match was all about Lionel Messi, who delivered a historic hat-trick and led the team to a comfortable victory in which Argentina controlled the game from start to finish.
Messi also set several records in the process. He became the all-time leading scorer from outside the penalty area in World Cup history, taking his total to five such goals. His three goals lifted him to 16 World Cup goals overall, tying Miroslav Klose's all-time tournament record. The performance also marked Messi's sixth World Cup, an unprecedented feat at the top level.
In another milestone, Messi reached 200 official appearances for Argentina, becoming only the third player in world football history to do so for a national team. The article said the crowd's excitement reflected both the goals and the statistical significance of the night, and that the display reinforced Argentina's readiness to defend its title.
The report said the team under Lionel Scaloni looked fully prepared to protect the crown, warning that other sides in the tournament will have a difficult time stopping them if Messi continues in this form. The article also included the tournament's group standings, showing Argentina in Group J with Algeria, Austria and Jordan, all four teams still level on zero points after one round of fixtures in the wider competition.
