Messi Shines with Hat Trick in Argentina's Dominant World Cup Opener

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – On a humid Midwestern night, the World Cup’s greatest showman walked into Arrowhead Stadium and turned a routine opener into a piece of history.

Lionel Messi, 38 years old and still dictating the sport’s biggest stage, struck a hat trick as Argentina began its title defense with a commanding 3–0 win over Algeria on Sunday. Three goals, three reminders that the reigning champions are not easing into this tournament. They are here to dominate it.

With those three strikes, Messi pulled level with Miroslav Klose on 16 career World Cup goals, matching a record that once felt untouchable. Now it belongs to two men. It may not stay that way for long.

No stumble this time

Argentina arrived in Kansas City with a scar that still lingers in memory: the shock opening defeat to Saudi Arabia in 2022, a loss that briefly shook belief before the eventual triumph in Qatar. There was no repeat of that chaos here.

From the first whistle, Argentina pressed high, passed sharply and refused to let Algeria settle. The champions controlled the tempo, with Rodrigo De Paul snapping into tackles and setting the rhythm in midfield, while Messi drifted between the lines, scanning, waiting.

The breakthrough came early, and it came from the one man everyone in the stadium expected.

In the 17th minute, Messi combined neatly with De Paul, stepped into a pocket of space just outside the penalty area and unleashed a vicious strike into the top corner. The shot ripped past Luca Zidane, the Algeria goalkeeper and son of French legend Zinedine Zidane, before he could fully stretch. One touch to set, one swing to stun. Argentina’s campaign was up and running.

Argentina turn the screw

The goal settled Argentina and rattled Algeria. The South Americans began to toy with their opponents, carving out chances that hinted at a rout.

Thiago Almada ghosted into the box but failed to take advantage of a clear opening, his finish lacking the conviction of his movement. Lautaro Martínez forced Zidane into a sharp save, the keeper standing tall to block a low, angled effort that seemed destined for the corner.

Algeria clung on, grateful for the halftime whistle. The scoreline read 1–0, but the pattern of the match suggested the dam would not hold forever.

It didn’t.

Messi hunts the record

Argentina emerged from the break with the same intent. They pinned Algeria deep, recycling possession, dragging defenders out of position. The pressure built, minute by minute.

Just after the hour mark, it finally broke. Alexis Mac Allister burst into the box and saw his shot parried by Zidane. The rebound spilled into dangerous territory. Messi arrived, calm in the chaos, and swept the ball home to double the lead.

Goal No. 16 at World Cups. Level with Klose. A record shared, for now.

The third nearly followed immediately. Released clean through on goal, Messi found himself in a one-on-one with Zidane, the crowd already rising in expectation. This time the goalkeeper won, closing the angle and blocking the finish. Messi, arms outstretched, then appealed for a penalty after contact in the box on another foray, but the protests went nowhere.

Argentina kept coming. Algeria could only chase shadows.

The hat trick and the ovation

The inevitable arrived in the 76th minute.

Nicolás González slid a precise pass into Messi’s path. No flourish, no need. Messi opened his body and guided a low shot into the corner, as if placing the ball by hand. The net rippled, and with it came his hat trick, his 16th World Cup goal and a statement that this tournament still bends to his will.

Arrowhead Stadium rose. A standing ovation greeted him when he was withdrawn late on, the crowd acknowledging not just a performance, but an era that refuses to fade quietly.

Argentina saw out the final minutes with the composure of champions, closing the game without drama and banking three points to top Group J after their first outing.

Next up: Austria and Jordan. More chances for Messi to step out of Klose’s shadow and take the World Cup scoring record outright. At 38, he has nothing left to prove. But nights like this suggest he is not done rewriting football’s history books just yet.