The Argentine national team began its participation in Group J of the FIFA World Cup 2026 by defeating Algeria 3-0 on the night of this Tuesday, June 16 in Kansas City, in a match that featured Lionel Messiauthor of the three goals of the match.
The team led by Lionel Scaloni dominated much of the match and found in their captain the decisive player to secure the first three points of the tournament.
Argentina had gone into half-time with a 1-0 lead thanks to a goal by Messi in the 17th minute. Before that, both the Albiceleste and Algeria had seen goals disallowed due to offside in a first half in which the South Americans controlled possession of the ball.
In the second half, Argentina maintained the offensive intensity and widened the difference in the 60th minute. Messi took advantage of an assist from Rodrigo De Paul to beat Algerian goalkeeper Lucas Zidane again and make it 2-0.
The Algerian goalkeeper prevented the difference from becoming greater a few minutes later by stopping a clear opportunity from the Argentine captain, an intervention that received applause from the audience present.
In addition to Messi, players such as Enzo Fernández, Rodrigo De Paul and Alexis Mac Allister had a prominent role in controlling the Argentine midfield during the second half. In defense, Facundo Medina responded on several occasions to neutralize the African team’s offensive attempts.
The third goal came in the 76th minute, when Messi completed a collective play after combining with two teammates to sign his hat trick and seal the match. Julián Álvarez also actively participated in the offensive actions after the goal that secured the win.
With the game defined, Messi left the field of play in the 79th minute to applause from the fans. The Argentine captain closed a historic night after scoring three goals in the World Cup debut and completing another outstanding performance with the national team. Later, Nicolás Paz entered the game, while the captain’s ribbon remained in the hands of Nicolás Otamendi.
Algeria tried to score in the final stretch, but a free kick taken in the 85th minute was blocked by the Argentine barrier. In the final minutes, Mac Allister and Otamendi helped retain control of the ball to secure the result.
The referee added six minutes of replacement before declaring the end of the match, confirming Argentina’s 3-0 victory.
Messi’s performance also had a special meaning. The captain played his 200th match for the Argentine national team and became the first footballer to participate in six World Cups. With his three goals against Algeria, he also extended his scoring record in the history of the World Cup.
