LIONEL MESSI scored a stunning hat-trick to kick off his 2026 World Cup campaign in scintillating style in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria.
Messi is bidding to help defending champions Argentina go back-to-back this summer.
And his incredible record saw the superstar equal Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the World Cup’s highest-ever scorer with 16 strikes.
As for Algeria, they were appearing World Cup for the first time since Brazil 2014.
But they failed to make an impact as Messi ran the show.
Check out SunSport’s match report below…
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Match report
Chelsea FC CorrespondentWhoever writes Lionel Messi’s scripts is at it again.
On the occasion of his 200th Argentina cap, of course Messi scored his first World Cup hat-trick – 20 years to the day since his first tournament goal.
And so the little man not only extended his all-time high of finals appearances to 27, he also drew level with Miroslav Klose as the most prolific player in the competition’s history, with 16 strikes.
For good measure, the Algerian goalkeeper beaten by Messi’s treble was Luca Zidane, son of another World Cup legend Zinedine, who was there in Kansas City to see it.
Kylian Mbappe’s brace for France against Senegal earlier in the day had edged him past Messi and up to third-place alongside Gerd Muller with 14.
But Argentina’s captain was in no mood to be upstaged.
Argentina 3 Algeria 0
Messi becomes joint top World Cup scorer EVER after epic hat-trick
Top scorer
Betting & Gaming WriterLionel Messi’s hat trick has seen him jump level with Miroslav Klose as the World Cup’s all-time top scorer.
His stunning third goal taking him to 16 goals in this competition’s history after 27 games. A stunning return.
And it’s also taken him to the top of the scoring charts in this year’s edition, unsurprisingly.
Erling Haaland, Kai Havertz, Kylian Mbappe and Motherwell’s Elijah Just amongst the names on two goals already – all passed by the great man.
Historic night
Betting & Gaming WriterA stunning night of football with Lionel Messi the superstar once again.
His first World Cup hat trick – the oldest man to ever score a hat trick in the competition – on his 200th securing the 3-0 victory for Argentina.
That takes him joint with Miroslav Klose at the top of the all-time scoring charts in the World Cup too in an historic night in Kansas City.
And it could’ve been more having had a goal ruled out for offside and denied in a 1v1 in the second half.
Argentina good value for their victory with Algeria having a goal chalked off by the linesman’s flag in the first half but failing to threaten the Argentina goal outwith that.
The defending champions up and running with a bang.
Argentina 3 – 0 Algeria
Messi’s magic drags Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Algeria at Kansas City Stadium, opening their World Cup defence in style!
The captain bagged his first hat-trick in the competition (1.23 to 0.31 on xG).
Messi had an early goal ruled out for offside after just six minutes, with a similar call denying Chaibi two minutes later.
But Messi made no mistake just after the quarter-hour mark, firing a perfectly taken shot from distance into the top corner to give the CONMEBOL side the lead at the interval.
He then made it two on the hour with an opportunistic finish after Zidane failed to gather a Mac Allister effort.
The number 10 completed his hat-trick with 14 minutes to go, scoring a goal similar to his first from just outside the area.
Messi is now joint-level with Miroslav Klose at the top of the World Cup scoring charts.
Argentina play Austria in Dallas on Monday, while Algeria meet Jordan on the same day at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.
That concludes our commentary of the 2026 World Cup Group J match between Argentina and Algeria.
