Lionel Messi marked his record-breaking sixth FIFA World Cup appearance with a stunning hat-trick on Tuesday, becoming the tournament’s joint all-time leading scorer as defending champions Argentina launched their title defence with a commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria.
The Argentine captain produced a masterclass in front of 69,045 fans at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, matching Miroslav Klose’s World Cup record of 16 goals and underlining his enduring brilliance on football’s biggest stage.
The 38-year-old had already made history before kick-off, becoming the first player to appear at six World Cups as he led Argentina out for his 200th international match.
Messi then ensured the occasion would be remembered for far more than records alone.
Making his World Cup debut as an 18-year-old at Germany 2006, the Argentine great finally celebrated the first World Cup hat-trick of his illustrious career with a display of trademark precision and composure.
He opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a curling effort from the edge of the box, moving level with German icon Gerd Müller and France star Kylian Mbappé on 14 World Cup goals.
Messi struck again on the hour mark, reacting quickest to convert the rebound after Alexis Mac Allister’s effort was parried, taking him to 15 goals and alongside Brazilian legend Ronaldo.
His historic third arrived in the 76th minute, a clinical low finish from just outside the area that drew him level with Klose atop the tournament’s all-time scoring chart. Four minutes later, he left the field to a standing ovation from an adoring crowd.
Despite the milestone, Messi was quick to downplay the achievement.
“It’s an honour to be there, considering what it means to be alongside Klose and the others — Ronaldo is there too — but I don’t think it means anything. In the end, it’s just a statistic and nothing more,” he said.
Argentina’s victory offered another reminder of the quality that carried them to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, when they defeated France on penalties after an unforgettable 3-3 draw in the final.
Mbappé makes his mark
Potential final rivals France also opened their campaign in style, defeating Senegal 3-1 with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice to signal his intentions once again.
The French forward’s brace took him past Olivier Giroud as France’s all-time leading scorer, with 58 goals in 99 appearances.
“There are still people out there who will criticise him, but he is an extraordinary player,” France coach Didier Deschamps said.
“Not everything came off for him, but he can win games in one moment.”
Haaland stars on World Cup debut
Elsewhere, Erling Haaland enjoyed a dream World Cup debut, scoring twice as Norway defeated Iraq 4-1 in Group I.
The Manchester City striker opened the scoring in the 29th minute before Aymen Hussein equalised for Iraq. Haaland restored Norway’s lead before half-time after capitalising on a defensive mistake, taking his international tally to an extraordinary 57 goals in just 51 appearances.
Substitute Leo Østigård added a third before a Hussein own goal deep into stoppage time completed an emphatic victory in Norway’s first World Cup appearance since 1998.
“You could see that he adapted to the occasion — the occasion wasn’t too big for him,” Norway coach Ståle Solbakken said.
“I had a good feeling before the game. I was quite comfortable that he would do it for us today.”
Austria overcome Jordan scare
In Tuesday’s late fixture, Austria survived a spirited challenge from World Cup debutants Jordan to secure a 3-1 victory in Group J at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Romano Schmid put Austria ahead with a superb long-range strike in the 21st minute, but Ali Olwan etched his name into Jordanian football history by scoring the nation’s first-ever World Cup goal shortly after the restart.
Jordan’s hopes of a famous result were dashed when Yazan Al-Arab turned the ball into his own net in the 76th minute, before veteran striker Marko Arnautović converted a stoppage-time penalty to seal the win.
For Messi, however, the night belonged to him. On a stage where he has spent two decades building his legacy, the Argentine legend once again delivered a performance worthy of football history.
AFP
