4 Takeaways From Argentina's (And Messi's) Win Over Algeria At The World Cup

Argentina opened its title defense the way the whole planet except Algeria hoped it would: through Lionel Messi. On his 200th cap, the captain scored three times in a 3-0 win over Algeria and drew level with Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading scorer in men's World Cup history.

Here are my takeaways from Argentina's opening win:

1. Messi Tied Klose – On His 200th Cap – Because Of Course He Did

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The milestones arrived in a bunch, and Messi treated them like a walk in the park. This was his 200th appearance for Argentina — only the third man in history to reach the mark, after Cristiano Ronaldo and Kuwait's Bader Al-Mutawa. He marked it by opening the scoring in the 17th minute, then twice more. The third was a vintage left-footed curler into the bottom corner — one we've seen so many times throughout his career.

By full-time, he had 16 World Cup goals, leveling Klose's all-time record in his sixth World Cup at 38 years old.

The résumé barely fits in a paragraph. Most matches in World Cup history. The only man to score in every round of the tournament — group stage, Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final. A world title in 2022. Klose needed four tournaments to get to 16 goals. Messi just needs one more goal to stand alone, and he will get it.

2. Argentina Didn't Need The Ball To Win The Game

(Photo by JUAN MABROMATA / AFP via Getty Images)

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni set up a 4-4-2 formation, with Messi tucked in alongside Lautaro Martínez, and a midfield of Rodrigo De Paul, Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández and Thiago Almada behind them. For long spells, Algeria had the ball. It didn't matter. Argentina had five shots on target in the first half; Algeria managed one.

That's the defending champion in a sentence — patient without the ball, ruthless with it, happy to let an opponent keep possession in areas where possession does nothing. There are fitness questions after a thin buildup, and the press wasn't always in sync. But this is a team that knows exactly what it is and exactly who it plays through. Give Messi a yard at the top of the box and the tactical conversation is over. Everyone in the stadium knew where the ball was going. Algeria still couldn't stop it.

3. Algeria Has The Talent — And Maybe A Goalkeeping Problem

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Don't let the scoreline bury Algeria. There is real quality here. Anis Hadj Moussa was a menace on the dribble before Riyad Mahrez, the former Premier League winner with Leicester City who began on the bench, replaced him. Amine Gouiri led the attacking midfield line, Mohamed Amoura came off it, and Manchester City's Rayan Aït-Nouri ran the left flank. On their day, these players can hurt anyone. If Algeria steadies itself against Jordan and Austria, this is a side that not many will fancy drawing in a knockout round.

The problem was in goal. Luca Zidane — yes, Zinedine's son, now Algeria's starting keeper — had a night to forget. He got both hands to the opener and still let it through, then parried the second straight back into trouble.

A high quality keeper probably saves one of those. On this evidence, he was Algeria's weakest link. However, he's coming off a season with Granada where he won the best goalkeeper award in the Spanish Segunda División. Perhaps just an off night.

4. He's So Good, He Gets Two Takeaways

Yes, a second Messi entry. Sue me — the man earned it. And here is the one that might be the most absurd line of the night: in 21 years and 200 caps for Argentina, across 27 World Cup matches and six tournaments, this was Messi's first World Cup hat trick. His 11th for his country, and the first on this stage. He waited two decades for it and chose the opening game of a title defense to deliver.

Because nothing about him is ordinary, he is now the oldest player ever to score a hat trick at a World Cup. At 38 years and 357 days, he didn't just break Ronaldo's record of 33 years and 130 days — he lapped it by five years. Father time keeps sending the invoice. Messi keeps refusing to pay. As a soccer fan, thank you for all of these memories, Leo.

Argentina vs Algeria Highlights | 2026 FIFA World Cup™