Lionel Messi scored a hat trick and tied the men’s World Cup career scoring record as defending champion Argentina beat Algeria 3-0 in its Group J opener Tuesday night in Kansas City, Mo. The spectacle was built around one player, one national team, and the familiar machinery of elite sport: a heavily pro-Argentina crowd, a stadium packed for the occasion, and a match that ended with Messi leaving to a standing ovation after doing the work that decided it.
Messi scored in the opening minutes on a feed from Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, added a second goal off a rebound early in the second half and completed the hat trick on a strike from the top of the penalty box. The three goals gave Messi 16 for his World Cup career, tying Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the tournament’s all-time scoring record. Messi also became only the second player to score in five World Cups, joining Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
Who Gets the Glory, Who Does the Work
The match was Messi’s record-setting sixth World Cup appearance and his 200th international appearance, a career that began in 2005 at age 18. His first goal came 20 years to the day after his World Cup debut against Serbia and Montenegro, a match in which he also scored. He nearly added two more goals against Algeria, with one effort ruled offside and another in the second half just clearing the crossbar. He also helped Argentina defensively as it controlled the match against Algeria.
After the match, Messi said, “The first matches at the World Cup are always tough, and we’re seeing that nobody’s giving anything away.” He also said, “My tears after the first goal? I’ve had some tough days. It wasn’t related to football. And those feelings were because of that,” and added, “I thank my teammates, the coaching staff and the delegation for helping me.” He said, “I like playing soccer. It’s been my passion since I was little. When I’m in good shape, I give it my all.” He also said, “It makes me very happy to have lived through everything that came my way. What I’m living though now is the cherry on top,” and, “I’m very happy an grateful for this wonderful group. I enjoy it so much.”
The Team Behind the Star
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said, “The first match is always tricky. We had stumbled in the last World Cup and we needed to have a good debut today.” After the match, he also said, “At a loss for words about Leo. What can I say? He’s incredible.” Argentina star Rodrigo De Paul said, “The goal is always to arrive on the first day and leave on the last.” He also said, “It’s an advantage to have Leo because of how he handles the group and pushes it forward. Because of who he is. He doesn’t care about individual records. He prioritizes the group, and for us it’s incredible.”
Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic said, “We’re not talking about any old footballer. Unfortunately we also afford him the opportunity with the first and second goal, and we actually made it easier for him. But Messi, with his clear thinking in crucial stages of the game, is able to do things that much more easily.” Petkovic also said, “Class is permanent. He’s fortunate to have the privilege that the entire Argentina team works for him, and supports him, and for a number of years now — decades — he’s done incredible things.” Algeria star Riyad Mahrez said, “Argentina have a special player who can change a game on his own.”
The Stadium, the Crowd, and the Business of the Game
The game was played at Arrowhead Stadium, fulfilling the longtime dream of the late Lamar Hunt, who founded the NFL franchise that plays there and was instrumental in the growth of soccer in the U.S. from the 1960s through the early 2000s. Hunt played a big role in the U.S. hosting the 1994 World Cup, and his sons, Clark and Dan, are doing likewise with this edition. Among those in the crowd were Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who wore a blue sweatsuit and white shirt, and his wife, Brittany.
Algeria had its best chance early when Fares Chaibi’s would-be goal was taken away by a VAR review that showed he was offside. That was the closest Algeria came before Argentina controlled the match and turned the opener into another chapter in the tournament’s hierarchy: the defending champion advancing, the underdog’s moment erased by the apparatus, and the star at the center of it all collecting another record.
Argentina will continue its pursuit of back-to-back titles in Arlington, Texas, when it plays Austria on Monday and Jordan on June 27. Algeria plays Jordan on Monday in Santa Clara, California, before facing Austria in its Group J finale on June 27 in Kansas City.