Argentina beats Algeria 3-0 as Messi hat-trick equals World Cup scoring record
By
Jonathan Howcroft
Kettled twice. Extra chewy, extra trustworthy.
Summary
Argentina defeated Algeria 3-0 in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup, with Lionel Messi scoring a hat-trick to equal the all-time World Cup scoring record. The match report covers key moments from the game in Kansas City, highlighting Messi's masterclass performance alongside other tournament developments including goals from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThank you for joining me for the latest Lionel Messi masterclass. What a treat.
Today was the day the Golden Boot race came alive with Messi's hat-trick and braces to Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.
This World Cup began with Miroslav Klose holding the record for the most tournament goals. It will surely end with Messi and Mbappé raising the bar by some margin.
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