Should Lionel Messi have been sent off? The controversial play against Algeria in the 2026 World Cup

Home Sport Should Lionel Messi have been sent off? The controversial play against Algeria in the 2026 World Cup
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June 17, 2026June 17, 2026By Mario Vásquez
Should Lionel Messi have been sent off? The controversial play against Algeria in the 2026 World Cup

The Argentine National Team, current world champion and led by Lionel Messi, started the defense of its title on the right foot by beating Algeria 3-0 on the first day of Group J. The Albiceleste captain was the star of the match, scoring three goals at the age of 38 and leading a convincing performance against an opponent who showed few ideas during the match.

From the beginning, Messi became the axis of the Argentine game. At minute 5 they opened the scoring, but the goal was disallowed for offside. His revenge came to minute 17, when he took a powerful shot that beat goalkeeper Zidane to make it 1-0 and unleash the euphoria of the fans who filled the Kansas City stadium for the debut of their team.

Shortly afterward, the party’s controversy arose. In a split play, Messi pressured Aissa Mandi in search of recovering the ball and made a hard tacklean iron on the Algerian player.

The Algerian defender fell to the ground in pain, prompting immediate complaints from the African bench. The Polish referee Szymon Marciniak only sanctioned the foul and the VAR did not intervene, despite the protests of those who asked for a possible red card due to the intensity of the action.

Far from being affected, Argentina maintained control of the match. In the second half, at minute 60, Messi took advantage of a rebound from goalkeeper Zidane to score his double and extend the lead to 2-0. Later, in the 76th minute, he completed his hat trick with a high-quality finish and capped a memorable night.

The Argentine captain left the field of play in the 79th minute, applauded by the public, after an outstanding performance in which he also reached 16 goals in World Cups.

Argentina thus begins its path in the tournament with a solid victory and the objective of revalidating the title, backed by the leadership and validity of Lionel Messi.

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