Argentina launched their World Cup title defence in emphatic fashion, cruising to a 3-0 victory over Algeria thanks to a brilliant hat-trick from captain Lionel Messi.
The reigning world champions dominated proceedings from the outset, with Algeria struggling to contain Argentina’s relentless attacking play. At the heart of it all was Messi, whose masterful performance delivered all three goals and ensured a perfect start to the Albiceleste’s campaign.
The hat-trick also saw Messi reach a significant milestone in World Cup history. His tally now stands at 16 World Cup goals, drawing level with German legend Miroslav Klose at the top of the tournament’s all-time scoring chart.
Messi opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a powerful strike from outside the penalty area that left the Algerian goalkeeper with no chance. Argentina carried that 1-0 advantage into halftime after controlling much of the first half.
The South Americans continued to press after the break and doubled their lead in the 60th minute. A long-range effort from Alexis Mac Allister slipped through the grasp of Algeria’s goalkeeper, and Messi reacted quickest to convert the rebound.
The Argentine captain completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute, calmly finding the net to seal the victory. Remarkably, it was the first World Cup hat-trick of Messi’s illustrious career.
With a commanding 3-0 win, Argentina sent an early warning to their rivals and began their quest to retain the World Cup trophy in convincing style.