Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the 2026 World Cup Group J football match between Argentina and Algeria at the Kansas City Stadium in Kansas City on June 16, 2026. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP)
Lionel Messi opened his record-breaking sixth World Cup with a hat-trick to become the tournament’s joint all-time top scorer on Tuesday as holders Argentina launched their bid for back-to-back titles with a dazzling 3-0 rout of Algeria.
On a magical night at Kansas City’s 69,045-capacity Arrowhead Stadium, Messi delivered an electrifying individual display to join Miroslav Klose at the top of the World Cup scorers charts with 16 goals.
The 38-year-old had started an unforgettable occasion — his 200th international appearance — by claiming a piece of history, becoming the first man to play in six World Cups as he led Argentina onto the field for what would become a one-sided Group J clash.
Messi, who first played in the World Cup as a teenager during the 2006 finals in Germany, then emphatically stamped his class over proceedings with a memorable hat-trick — the first of his World Cup career.
