Messi! Messi! Messi!

KANSAS CITY, WEDNESDAY – The name in the title above represents the three goals scored by Lionel Messi in the match between Argentina and Algeria in the Group J qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. The Argentine supporters filling the stadium chanted that name repeatedly in their euphoria. Messi! Messi! Messi!

In the match held in front of 69,000 spectators at Kansas City Stadium, USA, on Wednesday (17/6/2026) morning Indonesian time, Argentina defeated Algeria 3-0. Messi scored all three goals in the 17th minute, the 60th minute, and the 76th minute.

Not only did the "Tango" team secure a solid start in their title defense, the hat trick also had historic significance for Messi. It was his first hat trick at the World Cup, a tournament he has participated in six different editions of, making a total of 27 appearances.

The hat trick also ensured his name now ranks alongside Miroslav Klose, the German striker who has so far held the top spot at the top of the World Cup scoring charts with 16 goals. That record is likely to be surpassed, given that Argentina and Messi's journey at this World Cup still appears to be long.

The party faced Algeria while simultaneously proving to the world that the nearly 39-year-old striker is still in prime form and dangerous. Messi has not lost his touch, movement, vision, and finishing ability, which have always been his strengths.

In the match, Messi recorded six goal attempts, four of which were on target. This means that with a tally of three goals, Messi's success rate was 75 percent. All of this was accomplished within 80 minutes before he was substituted for Nico Paz.

He wants to leave the arena at the highest level.

"Messi will be 39 years old next week. But, wow, he is very ready for this match and really wants it. He is moving a lot and doing more than we might expect. He wants to leave the arena at the highest level," said Latin American football journalist, Tim Vickery, to BBC Sport.

Argentina fielded the same six players as the starting lineup for the 2022 World Cup final against France. They were goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez; center-back Cristian Romero; midfielders Enzo Fernandez, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister; and, of course, Messi.

However, four other players were also included in the squad at that time as substitutes, namely defenders Lisandro Martinez and Gonzalo Montiel, midfielder Thiago Almada, and striker Lautaro Martinez. Only left-back Facundo Medina is a new name.

Algeria fielded with the reliance on midfielder Ibrahim Maza and forwards Amine Gouiri and Fares Chaibi. The wing-back duo Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rafik Belghali were also deployed to patrol the flanks of Argentina's defense.

However, Coach Vladimir Petkovic decided to hold back his two key players, namely the top scorer Mohamed Amoura and veteran midfielder Riyad Mahrez. Both players were only brought on in the 64th minute after the "Desert Foxes" were two goals down.

When the initial whistle was blown by Polish referee Szymon Marciniak, both teams sought to take the initiative. Algeria unexpectedly dared to play aggressively and applied high pressing when losing the ball in Argentina's territory.

Argentina's first breakthrough came in the 5th minute. Messi, receiving a through ball inside the penalty area, immediately met it with a shot that beat Algeria's goalkeeper. However, the linesman raised his flag for a slight offside.

Shortly after, it was Algeria's turn to jolt the stadium as Chaibi found the back of the net against Emi Martinez. However, his stunning goal was also disallowed after a VAR review showed he was offside.

Argentina then played more delays in midfield to lure Algerian players forward or find openings to break through. The tactic worked. During one possession in midfield, De Paul spotted a gap in the Algerian defense and fed Messi.

The pass was met by "La Pulga" with a powerful left-footed shot from outside the penalty area. The ball was actually touched by the fingertips of goalkeeper Luca Zidane, but it was too strong and continued to soar smoothly into the top left corner of the goal.

After the first goal, Argentina continued to play with a similar pattern. They effectively protected their ball possession. Occasionally, Algeria attempted to build an attack, but always lost the ball in the third of Argentina's defense.

In the early stages of the second half, Argentina's Coach Lionel Scaloni substituted Gonzalo Montiel, Nico Gonzalez, and Julian Alvarez for Molina, Almada, and Lautaro. This refresh proved effective in enhancing the team's attacking power. Shortly thereafter, in the 60th minute, Messi scored his second goal.

Leo is the most important player of all. And we have to build a team around him, one where he feels comfortable.

It began with a powerful shot from Mac Allister from the center of the field, the swiftly moving ball could not be cleanly caught by Zidane. "La Pulga" then quickly seized the rebound and directed it into the goal of the son of the French legend, Zinedine Zidane.

Messi capped off Argentina's celebration in the 76th minute. Starting from a collaboration with Gonzalez, Messi, who found space to shoot at the edge of the penalty area, sent the ball into the right post of the goal. Once again, the precisely launched ball was unreachable for Zidane.

After the match, Algerian defender Aissa Mandi acknowledged that Messi was the decisive factor in the game. "What makes the difference is that they have players who do not forgive. Almost all opportunities ended up in the net," said the player who represents Lille.

He added that Messi may be the greatest player of all time with his impressive performances. "We know that and we strive to limit him as much as possible, but it was unsuccessful," he stated.

Meanwhile, Mac Allister was speechless about his teammate's brilliant performance. "There are no words to describe it," he said.

The Liverpool midfielder also emphasized to anyone who thinks Argentina is better off without Messi that today has proven otherwise. "Leo is the most important player of all. And we must build a team around him, where he feels comfortable," he stated.