Kenya Sport

Lionel Messi's Hat Trick Propels Argentina Past Algeria, Ties World Cup Scoring Record

Argentina’s journey to defend their World Cup crown started with some nerves before Lionel Messi took control. The 38-year-old scored a hat trick in a 3-0 victory over Algeria at Kansas City Stadium, witnessed by 69,045 spectators. This performance tied him with Miroslav Klose for the all-time World Cup goals record at 16, although Klose achieved it in fewer matches.

Early Tension and Near Misses

The first 15 minutes were tense. Messi had an early goal disallowed due to Lautaro Martinez being offside on a counterattack. Algeria then threatened with a quick break; Farès Chaïbi appeared to score, but VAR ruled him offside as well. Both sides probed cautiously, searching for openings.

"They did everything they could. They reacted wonderfully in the first half," said Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni through a translator.

Messi Takes Command

Rodrigo De Paul, Messi’s teammate at Inter Miami, delivered a precise through ball that found Messi in stride. Surrounded by defenders, Messi fired a shot into the top-right corner, giving Argentina the lead. This marked Messi’s fifth World Cup scoring tournament, exactly 20 years after his first World Cup goal. De Paul and Messi also became only the fifth pair of MLS players to combine for a World Cup goal, joining several USMNT duos.

"It’s hard to explain. We’re amazed with him still, though we get to see him every day," Scaloni added.

Algeria’s coach, Vladimir Petković, acknowledged Messi’s brilliance despite his team’s solid effort.

"Class is permanent. He’s not just any player — he has eight Ballon d’Or awards. Unfortunately, we gave him chances to score the first two goals. He benefits from having the entire Argentina team working for him," Petković said.

Second Half Dominance

In the second half, Messi continued to dominate. Alexis Mac Allister’s long-range effort was blocked, but Messi pounced on the rebound. Later, Nicolas Gonzalez assisted Messi for a clean left-foot finish, completing his first World Cup hat trick. Algeria matched Argentina in possession but failed to test goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez seriously, with seven shots and no shots on target.

Player Ratings from Kansas City Stadium

Goalkeeper & Defence

  • Emiliano Martinez (7/10): Calm and composed, he wasn’t troubled much and contributed with excellent distribution, including a long pass leading to Messi’s second goal.
  • Facundo Medina (7/10): Kept Algeria’s wingers largely quiet, focused on defense without advancing much.
  • Cristian Romero (7/10): Played his part as Algeria didn’t manage any shots on target.
  • Lisandro Martinez (8/10): Solid defensively with multiple clearances, tackles, and interceptions.
  • Gonzalo Montiel (7/10): Strong first half before being substituted at halftime.

Midfield

  • Rodrigo De Paul (8/10): Tough in midfield, provided the key assist to Messi.
  • Enzo Fernandez (7/10): Maintained good passing rhythm and control.
  • Alexis Mac Allister (7/10): His audacious shot sparked Messi’s second goal; effective on both ends.
  • Thiago Almada (6/10): Added pace and width but lacked impact elsewhere.

Attack

  • Lionel Messi (10/10): A historic performance, equaling the World Cup goals record, securing his 17th career World Cup win, and edging closer to breaking Maradona’s assist record.
  • Lautaro Martínez (5/10): Struggled to influence the game during his 55 minutes.

Substitutes & Manager

  • Julian Alvarez (5/10): Limited impact coming back from injury.
  • Nicolas González (7/10): Made an immediate difference by assisting Messi’s final goal.
  • Nicolas Otamendi (6/10): Provided defensive stability when brought on.
  • Nico Paz (6/10): Fresh legs, no major mistakes.
  • Nahuel Molina (6/10): Replaced Montiel and held steady.
  • Lionel Scaloni (8/10): Made smart substitutions and maintained control after a shaky start. Demonstrated why Argentina remains a strong favorite.

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