Those lucky enough to witness Argentina’s opening match against Algeria could be forgiven for thinking they’d been transported to one of football’s Argentinian cathedrals La Bombonera or El Monumental rather than Kansas City Stadium.
On Tuesday night, nearly 70,000 fans, drenched in Albiceleste colors, filled the air with thunderous song, serenading their team and their legendary captain.
They had plenty of reasons to sing. Argentina, and Lionel Messi in particular, delivered a performance worthy of the occasion. On his 200th international appearance, Messi dazzled with a hat-trick, drawing level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the most goals in World Cup history (16)—just hours after France’s Kylian Mbappé had briefly surpassed him with 14 goals.
Messi also became the first male player to compete in six World Cups, a milestone Cristiano Ronaldo is set to match when Portugal kick off their campaign. Any concerns about Messi’s recent muscle injury vanished when he was named in Lionel Scaloni’s starting XI—and disappeared entirely once the match began.
Messi nearly opened the scoring five minutes in, slipping behind the defense and finishing smartly, only to be flagged offside by the slimmest of margins. Moments later, Algeria’s Farès Chaïbi had a goal similarly chalked off. But Messi would not be denied for long. In the 17th minute, Rodrigo De Paul found him 40 yards from goal; three touches and a thunderous shot later, Messi had put Argentina ahead, his strike too fierce for Algerian keeper Luca Zidane to stop.
The only blemish on Messi’s night came from a reckless first-half challenge on Aïssa Mandi, for which he was fortunate to escape punishment. But his focus remained on the football. In the 60th minute, Messi doubled his tally, slotting home after Zidane parried a long-range effort from Alexis Mac Allister. The Argentinian defense, meanwhile, remained composed and resolute throughout.
Messi completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute with a vintage finish, weaving through defenders and tucking the ball just beyond Zidane’s reach. He exited the match soon after, his work done for the night.
Both sets of supporters brought color and passion to Kansas City and nearby Lawrence, Kansas, where Algeria is based for the tournament. Argentinian fans staged a raucous banderazo in a local park the night before, their energy spilling into the stadium hours before kickoff. Algerian fans, though outnumbered, made themselves heard with vibrant pockets of green scattered among the blue and white.
For Algeria, returning to the World Cup after 12 years and revitalized under Vladimir Petković, hopes were high. Their energetic style, so effective in qualifying, showed in flashes—especially late in the first half—but poor finishing left them chasing the game. Their next match against Jordan now looms as a must-win, while a clash with Austria appears more evenly matched.
