The Argentine captain scored his 16th career World Cup goal to equal Miroslav Klose’s record, while also becoming the first player to feature in six World Cup editions
Lionel Messi delivered a masterful hat-trick on Tuesday as Argentina opened their World Cup title defence with a commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria at the sold-out Arrowhead Stadium, equalling the all-time World Cup goalscoring record in the process.
Messi’s three-goal performance took him to 16 career World Cup goals, officially drawing level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the tournament’s all-time scoring record. The Argentine captain also became the first player in football history to feature in six different World Cup editions, having played in every tournament since 2006.
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Argentina asserted control early. In the 8th minute, Algeria believed they had taken a shock lead when Farès Chaïbi swept a beautiful finish past Emiliano Martínez, but a tense VAR review ruled the goal out for offside. The reprieve proved decisive.
In the 17th minute, Messi broke the deadlock by unleashing a trademark long-range screamer from outside the box that left Algerian goalkeeper Luca Zidane helpless. The strike set the tone for a dominant Argentine performance.
The second came in the 60th minute. Rodrigo De Paul registered a precise assist, sliding a ball across the face of the goal for Messi to comfortably tap home. The hat-trick was completed in the 76th minute when Nicolás González provided a sharp pass, allowing Messi to curl a beautifully struck effort into the bottom corner.
Argentina dominated possession with 53 percent and registered nine shots, six on target, while Algeria failed to record a single shot on target in a World Cup match for the first time in their history. Argentine passing accuracy stood at 90 percent compared to Algeria’s 93 percent.
According to a report by Accra Street Journal, Messi’s hat-trick propelled him to 24 direct World Cup goal contributions, officially breaking Pelé’s long-standing tournament record of 21. The result places Argentina firmly at the top of Group J, with Messi now level with Klose and within reach of the record outright.
For Algeria, the defeat extended a painful pattern: they have now lost their opening match in each of their last three World Cup appearances. With Riyad Mahrez introduced late and star forward Amine Gouiri isolated, Vladimir Petković’s side will need to regroup quickly to keep their knockout hopes alive.
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Predictable Lineups – Bef0re Kick0ff
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- Argentina (4-3-3): E. Martínez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Mac Allister, Enz Fernández; Messi, Álvarez, Di María.
- Algeria (4-2-3-1): Mandrea; Atal, Mandi, Bensebaini, Ait-Nouri; Bentaleb, Bennacer; Mahrez, Chaïbi, Amoura; Bounedjah.
Head-to-Head History
Last Updated on June 17, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
