The Argentine national team had a strong start in the Copa del World 2026 by beating Algeria 3-0 in Kansas City. The Albiceleste team dominated from start to finish and added its first three points at the start of the defense of the title won in Qatar 2022.
From the opening whistle, the team showed superiority in all its lines, controlled possession of the ball and generated constant scoring opportunities. Algeria tried to resist, but never managed to threaten the Argentine goal with any danger.
The great figure of the night was, once again, Lionel Messi. At almost 39 years old, the Argentine captain put in a memorable performance by scoring the first hat trick of his career in a World Cup. The star scored at minutes 17, 60 and 76, and led the victory with a display that provoked applause from the fans.
With these three notes, Messi reached 16 goals in World Cups and reaffirmed his place among the top scorers in the history of the tournament, in addition to demonstrating that his ability to make a difference in the elite of international football remains intact.
After the victory, the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, congratulated the Argentine through a message published on his social networks. “Congratulations to world champion Lionel Messi for scoring your 16th goal in the FIFA World Cup!” wrote.
Furthermore, he added: “This achievement speaks to your timeless brilliance as you continue to bring joy to millions of people around the world.”
Looking ahead to the next match against Austria, Argentina will seek to maintain this level of performance. With confidence high and an inspired Messi, the Albiceleste aims to advance its classification to the next round and strengthen its candidacy to defend the world title.