Defending champions Argentina kicked off their 2026 World Cup campaign with a dominant victory, riding on a magical performance by Lionel Messi. The world champions secured a commanding 3-0 win against Algeria, with all three goals coming from the boots of the Argentine captain.

Argentina adopted an aggressive approach right from the kickoff and reaped rewards early on. In the 17th minute, Messi collected the ball from midfield, danced past several defenders, and unleashed a stunning long-range strike. Despite his best efforts, Algerian goalkeeper Luca Zidane could not reach the ball as Argentina took firm control of the match.

Holding a 1-0 lead at halftime, Argentina intensified their attack in the second half. Capitalizing on a defensive error by the opposition, Messi netted his second goal of the match with a clinical finish inside the penalty box to double the lead.

The definitive moment of the match arrived in the 76th minute. Messi found the back of the net with his trademark left-footed strike from outside the box, completing a historic hat-trick. The spectacular goal sparked ecstatic celebrations across the stands as the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner celebrated with his teammates.

With this performance, Messi achieved the first World Cup hat-trick of his career, marking his 61st hat-trick in professional football. At 38, the Argentine captain once again proved why he remains one of the best footballers in the world.

Driven by Messi's extraordinary brilliance, Argentina began their World Cup journey by defeating Algeria 3-0, as the footballing legend continues to defy age and rewrite history.