By Angu Lesley
Football writer kick442.com – Cameroon
Defending champions Argentina began their FIFA World Cup 2026 title defence in emphatic fashion as Lionel Messi produced a vintage masterclass to inspire a 3-0 victory over Algeria in Group J.
The Albiceleste once again turned to their captain, with the 38-year-old scoring all three goals to hand Vladimir Petković’s side a disappointing start to the tournament. Messi opened the scoring in the first half before adding two more after the break to complete the first World Cup hat-trick of his legendary career.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had earlier seen another effort ruled out for offside, but he eventually made his dominance count with a clinical display that underlined why Argentina remain favourites to retain their crown.
Algeria, whose last major success came when they lifted the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt in 2019, fought bravely but struggled to contain Argentina’s attacking quality. The Desert Foxes showed flashes of promise but were ultimately undone by Messi’s brilliance.
The performance saw Messi become the oldest player to score a hat-trick at the FIFA World Cup while also moving level with Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals.
For Algeria, the defeat marks a difficult beginning to their campaign. They will now turn their attention to a crucial Group J encounter against Jordan.
Argentina, meanwhile, take early control of the group ahead of their upcoming clash with Austria as they continue their pursuit of becoming the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup title.
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