Lionel Messi was the star of the match by scoring a hat trick and reaching Miroslav Klose as the all-time top scorer in the World Cups.
The albiceleste captain opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a great goal. After a filtered assist from Rodrigo De Paul, Messi controlled the ball on the edge of the area and took a powerful left-footed shot that hit the corner.
In the 60th minute they extended the lead by pushing a rebound into the six-yard box. The hat trick came in the 78th minute, when he scored with his left foot after a great team play. Immediately afterwards, Lionel Scaloni replaced him to receive a standing ovation from the public at Kansas City Stadium.
With this third goal, Messi reached 16 goals in World Cups and equaled the absolute record held by German Miroslav Klose. In addition, he scored his 119th goal with the Argentine team in his 200th game.
Argentina dominated the match from start to finish. They controlled possession, generated constant chances and barely allowed any attempts by an orderly but outmatched Algeria. An Algerian goal was disallowed for offside in the first half. Emiliano Martínez had no major complications in his goal.
With this victory, the world champion leads Group J, also made up of Austria and Jordan. The team led by Lionel Scaloni showed defensive solidity, good ball handling and an inspired version of its captain, who, at almost 39 years old, continues to break records in his sixth World Cup participation, a record for longevity.
The match had a strong emotional component: it was exactly 20 years since Messi’s World Cup debut, on June 16, 2006, against Serbia and Montenegro. Twenty years later, the man from Rosario celebrated in the best possible way by completing a historic treble.
Argentina added three key points in its objective of advancing as leader of the group. Their next matches will be on June 22 against Austria, in Dallas, and on June 27 against Jordan.