Summary
Thank you for joining me for the latest Lionel Messi masterclass. What a treat. Pablo Iglesias Maurer was at Kansas City Stadium to enjoy it in the flesh. Here’s their match report. I’ll see you back on these pages in no time.
Today was the day the Golden Boot race came alive with Messi’s hat-trick and braces to Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.
This World Cup began with Miroslav Klose holding the record for the most tournament goals. It will surely end with Messi and Mbappé raising the bar by some margin.
Should probably repost these while everyone’s thirsty.
Pablo Iglesias Maurer:
Messi, put simply, is in extra time at this point, and winning another championship would only solidify his legend. Entirely unburdened, the Argentinian is playing his final World Cup free from the expectations that come with being a precocious wunderkind, in competition for the best player in the world, or a legend of the game looking for one last piece to balance his trophy cabinet. That sort of freedom can liberate and empower a player, but players of Messi’s ilk often need those expectations to continue to perform.
Jonathan Wilson:
What comes next for Messi? He is such an enigmatic presence it is very hard to know if he would have any aptitude for coaching or punditry, or even has any ambitions in that direction. If life is to be no more than a series of brand appearances and endless games on the PlayStation, a reluctance to contemplate the end of the playing phase of his career is readily understandable.
But perhaps that’s to project the standards of normal mortals upon him and those have never really applied to Messi. Qatar seemed like the great climactic finale, but there is a possibility that it was just the first part of an even greater denouement. Perhaps he really could win it twice.
“Does Messi not understand the concept of aging?” asks Daniel Gurfinkel. “To score a hat-trick at a World Cup is already mightily impressive but to do so when you’re practically 39 years old is insane.”
Not only that, but it was a varied hat-trick. The opener was a fierce wallop (that the keeper should have done better with). The second was a classic fox-in-the-box tap-in. The third was vintage Barca, a one-two near the box preceding a sidefoot into the corner.
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Too old? Too lazy? Too complacent having reached the promised land in 2022? Not a chance.
Full-time: Argentina 3-0 Algeria
A routine victory for the defending champions. A record breaking hat-trick for the incomparable Lionel Messi.
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90+3 mins: They will be tested more than this during the tournament but this has been a mightily impressive opening for Argentina. Defensively solid, well organised all over the park, crisp in build-up play, and a fit and healthy Lionel Messi.
90+1 mins: Six minutes of stoppage time to go before the latest avalanche of Messi long reads can be published.
90 mins: An exchange of turnovers in midfield typify the drop in intensity of this contest since the third goal went in.
89 mins: Algeria continue to monopolise the ball, but it’s unthreatening and increasingly directed towards their own goal.
88 mins: Algeria retain possession, as they have for the past few minutes, but Argentina are comfortable to let them have it as long as it’s outside the box, in front of their disciplined back four.
86 mins: Mahrez clips it straight into the leaping wall and out for a throw-in.
85 mins: Aouar makes the most of Mac Allister contact and Algeria get a very good shooting opportunity on the edge of the box. Ideal for Mahrez’s left boot.
84 mins: Mahrez tries to inject some energy into proceedings but there’s not a lot happening in front of him.
82 mins: This contest is now effectively over. It could hardly have gone better for Argentina, or FIFA.
80 mins: “I don’t think it’s an overreach to think that, in the decades to come, today will be looked back on as one of the most memorable days in WC history — the day Messi, Haaland and Mbappé each scored two or more,” enthuses Pablo Silva Ibarra.
79 mins: Two more subs for Algeria: Zerrouki and Boulbina seeing some junk time.
78 mins: Job done, Messi receives a standing ovation as he takes a well-earned break, along with Romero. On comes another golden oldie in Nicolas Otamendi – and a rare Argentinian youngster, Nico Paz.
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Argentina break at speed. Messi controls the tempo like Patrick Mahomes in the Arrowhead pocket, firing the pass to his left, jogging forward to accept the one-two as Algeria’s defence streams beyond him. From there it’s vintage. A touch to steady himself then a sidefoot pass from 20 yards out just inside the post and away from Zidane’s dive. The World Cup goals record now to go with the appearance record. What more is there left to say?
GOAL! Argentina 3-0 Algeria (Messi, 76)
GOAT.
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74 mins: The host broadcaster pans to Zinedine Zidane. The 1998 World Cup winner shakes his head and looks on ruefully. He will need to be diplomatic when he catches up with his son later on.
73 mins: Penalty? Argentina’s press forces an error and Alvarez is on it in a flash, sliding the ball across the top of the box for Messi. The veteran is slow to clear his feet and is bundled over before he get a shot away. The physical pressure was deemed legal onfield and VAR does not intervene.
71 mins: Following an ad break Lisandro Martinez gives another couple of demonstrations of his class, stepping out of the heart of defence to intercept, then turning calmly under pressure to retain possession.
69 mins: Aouar gets Algeria’s first shot away in a long time, dragging a snapshot wide form the edge of the box after sharp interplay between Mahrez and Maza. You’d have to think that pair will be critical if Algeria are to find points against Austria and Jordan later in the group. Their technical skill in the final third looks a class above the rest of the squad.
67 mins: Algeria get on the ball for a spell, settling things down. It’s all very passive and in front of the Argentinian defence, who drop into a compact narrow shape and keep their opponent’s at arm’s length.
66 mins: Mbappé with a brace earlier, then Haaland, now Messi. The big boys have come to play today.
65 mins: And that sentence almost ages instantly as Messi is slipped through, drawing a rare excellent save from Zidane to deny the hat-trick.
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64 mins: Only Miroslav Klose has scored more World Cup goals than Lionel Messi.
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63 mins: Three subs for Algeria now with Mahrez, Aouar, and Amoura all coming into the game. Hadj Moussa, Gouiri, and Boudaoui make way.
Long ball from E Martinez out to Messi on the left. He slips the ball in behind that Algeria clear as far as Mac Allister – who hammers low and hard from around 25m out. Zidane makes an almighty mess of it, spilling the effort straight into the path of Messi, who was loitering with intent for a classic poacher’s tap-in.
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GOAL! Argentina 2-0 Algeria (Messi, 60)
He DOES do tap-ins!
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60 mins: Magnificent interception by Mandi who saves a certain goal, sliding to deflect behind a De Paul cross from the right as Argentina counter. Alvarez was waiting to stroke the ball home if that intervention had failed.
59 mins: “What’s going on with the weird patches on the pitch?” asks Michael Meagher. “Was there a massive thunderstorm before kick off?” It has been cloudless in Kansas City all day. I think those evenly spaced patches emerged at half-time from some over zealous sprinkling.
58 mins: Algeria get back in possession, looking for Maza to dictate play. He is tracked by Mac Allister wherever he goes, often double teamed with Fernandez too, but he works a one-two on the edge of the box and fashions a shot that’s charged down by the human missile of Li Martinez.
56 mins: Couple more subs for Argentina with Alvarez and Gonzalez coming on for Almada and La Martinez.
54 mins: La Martinez draws a save from Zidane, drilling the ball across the keeper on the angle but the son of a gun gets a strong palm to it – unlike earlier when he didn’t cover himself in glory for Messi’s opener.
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53 mins: Li Martinez steps out of defence to intercept superbly, taking a little bit of Maza for good measure. Soon the ball is fizzed to La Martinez who shows superb control and skids the ball wide to De Paul in acres of space. He enters the box but fails to find a teammate when there was almost too much on. Decent opportunity goes begging.
51 mins: Argentina get a couple of repeat phases down the right and from the second Messi has time and space to pick his spot from the D cutting inside, but even he balloons his effort into row Z. It must be the ball, surely?
50 mins: Excellent pass out of the back bypassing the press for Maza. The schemer takes possession and hurtles towards the Argentina box, where he is dumped unceremonsionuly by his effective man marker Mac Allister.
48 mins: Algeria enjoy some nice possession to start the half. There’s a couple of nice crossfield switches and some neat interplay in front of the Argentina defence but when they try to cut through there is no quarter given and Fernandez clears.
46 mins: There is one change at the break with Molina coming on for Montiel at right back for Argentina.
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A couple of you have written in to suggest Messi’s foul on 30 mins was worthy of at least a booking, possibly more. It looked innocuous in real time but replays do the goalscorer no favours with a couple of still frames showing his studs raking along Aïssa Mandi’s Achilles. As Rob notes: “Angels with dirty faces”.
“Remember how Maradona seemed like he was from another era in USA ‘94?” reminisces Thomas Jenkins. “Messi is five years older than Maradona was in ‘94 and he’s still clearly Argentina’s best player. Madness.”
Some half-time reading for you. Which, during a match dominated by Lionel Messi, could only be about…
Half-time: Argentina 1-0 Algeria
Lots of neat interplay from the defending champions, a Messi special to open the scoring, but Algeria are not out of this.
45+4 mins: Montiel gets the better of Ait-Nouri, who then takes Almada man and ball. Algeria seize the opportunity to spread the play and attack down the right through Hadj Moussa. His cross-shot bobbles near Gouiri but the striker isn’t alert enough to the opportunity and he can’t divert the ball towards goal.
45+3 mins: Lovely skill from Maza in midfield to weave around Mac Allister and set Algeria in motion. He’s a talent the 20 year old Bayer Leverkusen playmaker.
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45+1 mins: The ball breaks kindly for Gouiri and Li Martinez has to step in and concede a corner. The delivery doesn’t clear the first defender at the near post.
45 mins: Chaibi accepts possession between the lines with his back to goal, spins, and shoots. You guessed it, it soars into orbit.
44 mins: Vladimir Petkovic doesn’t look too concerned in his technical area. While the scoreline contains just the one goal there’s no need to panic.
42 mins: Argentina then get a rare break with space to run into. Almada takes the opportunity to have a potshot but like so so many this World Cup so far the ball flies miles over the bar. This is now a consistent theme. Is it a ball problem?
40 mins: I realise I am rhapsodising over Argentina’s pass-and-move one-touch football, but the truth is it hasn’t led to many chances, let alone clear cut ones. Algeria remind them of the importance of creating them when they go up the other end and force a corner when E Martinez has to repel an angled drive from Gouiri at his near post. The corner is headed clear but the second ball is glanced wide.
39 mins: Almada, Messi, Fernandez, lovely interplay, La Martinez gets involved too. Considering this is only the opening match Argentina look in superb sync.
38 mins: More brilliant close control from Messi on the turn, releasing the ball from a central area to the right. The cross is poor though and Algeria clear. Li Martinez is subsequently forced to slide across and win a 60-40 in his favour with the kind of physical challenge he relishes.
36 mins: Almada is fouled about 40m out on the left so Messi tries to catch Zidane out with an opportunistic shot but mishits his free-kick too high.
34 mins: De Paul instigates play down the right, with his long sleeves looking like a veteran of the 1978 title winning side. The attack gains momentum on the left through La Martinez but Algeria clear in the box.
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32 mins: Algeria get on the ball in Argentina’s half for the first time in ages. They work the ball from side to side then look to attack down the right but Almada tracks back effectively.
30 mins: Messi misplaces a pass, then commits a foul trying to win the ball back. He is by no means the passenger we might have expected out of possession.
28 mins: Only when the ball is back with E Martinez do Argentina spread the field. Otherwise it is like a small-sided training exercise. The composure in tight areas and confidence in the collective technical ability is something to behold. The ball is in perpetual motion, then in the final third the single touches become more extravagant and daring, but always effective. Algeria can’t get near it.
26 mins: Messi is now the joint-third highest goalscorer in World Cup history. And he joins Cristiano Ronaldo as the only men to find the back of the net in five different World Cups.
24 mins: Time for a hydration break. That first quarter went according to plan for Argentina – but only just, with a VAR offside check saving them from conceding the opening goal.
22 mins: Messi works space from one of those rapier-like moves but his cross is overhit and Algeria clear. Argentina are hungry in midfield though and soon with the ball back. The North Africans are now defending in a deep low block, scared of pressing for fear the defending champions will just play through them.
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21 mins: Argentina return to their game plan of working the ball around slowly and safely across their defence and midfield before darting forward like a fencer with razor sharp incisions.
20 mins: That goal was exactly how Lionel Scaloni had drawn up on the training ground. Technical excellence from back to front and individual brilliance of historic proportions.
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18 mins: Sometimes all the hype is actually worth it.
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Argentina are looking almost exclusively for vertical passes through the lines with even Messi dropping deep to accept possession. The little genius does just that to start a move with a one-two then ghosts unchecked into space between the lines. A couple of passes later the ball is at his feet with room to turn, which he does, then takes a couple of steps to advance towards the penalty area before unleashing an unstoppable left-footed effort that arcs away from Zidane and into the top right corner. Brilliant.
GOAL! Argentina 1-0 Algeria (Messi, 17)
You know the script.
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15 mins: Argentina’s structure during build up play is very compact. They’re looking to ping rondo-style passes in tight areas to unlock Algeria on the half-turn with very little space between the back four and the front three.
13 mins: Argentinian songs rain down from the precipitous stands of Arrowhead Stadium as the team they are cheering on pad their possession stats. Eventually they work the ball through the lines on the left where Almada has an opportunity to do something decisive but he overhits his throughball to Messi when he may have been better off shooting.
11 mins: Algeria with a free-kick on the left. They go short – and like London buses, Messi makes a second tackle of the game to dispossess Hadj Moussa. Even though their goal was ruled out, Algeria have gained confidence from the move and started to spray the ball around nicely in midfield.
VAR! No Goal!
Brilliant from Maza in midfield, recycling possession, keeping the ball moving, teasing between the lines. He spots Chaibi darting between fullback and centre-half, feeds him perfectly, and the finish is glorious, deceiving Martinez at his near post.
But with the crowd adjusting to the shock excitement is quelled by a VAR intervention and the goal is ruled out for a marginal offside against the goalscorer.
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GOAL! With their first attack Algeria opening the scoring!
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7 mins: This is a rare low tempo contest. Argentina are dominating possession but not looking to force anything.
5 mins: The ball goes out of play on the right as a pass slightly in front of Messi beats the veteran’s quickstep. He has definitely lost a yard or six of pace. You wouldn’t know it during the next phase of play though as he jumps in behind and clips a delightful finish over the onrushing Zidane. However, his delight is cut short as he notices the assistant’s flag raised for offside. It was marginal, but he took off a fraction too early.
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3 mins: In possession, Argentina are happy to bide their time and draw Algeria out to them. They do just that, Romero attempts the long ball, Almada picks up the scraps and crosses to La Martinez who heads straight at Zidane. He was offside anyway so it wouldn’t have counted.
2 mins: Argentina are defending in a 4-3-3 shape out of possession with Messi on the right of the front three. And you’ll never believe this – he did some defending – winning the ball back in his own half and feeding back to his keeper.
1 min: An early question to ponder as the action gets under way at walking pace: are Argentina the most heavily tattooed team at the World Cup?
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Kick-off!
Lionel Messi’s World Cup campaign is under way…
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Argentina’s anthem was sung with smiles and pride, the defending champions looking relaxed and confident. Algeria’s players belted out their own hymn with a steely determination on their faces.
The Fennecs’ kit improves on closer inspection, with some nice touches giving it a retro feel, imbuing the spirit of 1982, the Disgrace of Gijon, and all that.
Out walk the two sides into a stadium populated from near top to bottom in fans wearing Albiceleste colours.
Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane is wearing a protective face mask as he recovers from a severe jaw and chin fracture that he suffered playing for Granada in April.
Argentina will be in their glorious sky blue and white stripes today, complemented by black shorts and trim. Algeria are wearing their change strip of green with white shorts.
A selection of Messi stats for you to digest at as the veteran begins his valedictory World Cup.
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26 – record number of World Cup matches played
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6 – record World Cups appeared in (shared with Cristiano Ronaldo)
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13 – World Cup goals (joint fifth all-time)
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38 – age at kick-off (12th oldest at the 2026 World Cup)
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2 – record number of World Cup golden balls
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Today’s officials are from Poland, led by referee Szymon Marciniak, who took charge of the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France, and the 2023 Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan.
He is a celebrity in Poland, appearing as a contestant on the Polish version of Hell’s Kitchen, and featuring in the documentary series Sędziowie, a behind the scenes look at the life of a referee.
Conditions are glorious in Kansas City. It is around 26C and dropping as golden hour drifts towards sundown.
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The venue today is Arrowhead Stadium. This classically American open bowl can hold 76,000 spectators and is known commercially as GEHA Field. During the World Cup it is neutralised to Kansas City Stadium.
The primary tenants are NFL franchise the Kansas City Chiefs, winners of four Super Bowls, including three since 2019.
The venue has twice earned the Guinness World Record for the loudest stadium, first in 2013, then in 2014, during matches featuring the Chiefs.
Lionel Messi has already stamped his authority on the turf.
Daniel Sperry brings us one of those necessary World Cup stories that reminds us the hostile politics of the leaders of a nation does not reflect the hospitality of most its residents.
Jonathan Wilson has spoken to Luciana Alvarengue, the former maths teacher of both Enzo Fernández and Julián Álvarez, who provides a neat character study of the two World Cup winners.
“You either love maths or you hate it,” Alvarengue says. “There are no grey areas. Julián was very good at maths. He had a very good way of working in the classroom in general. Enzo was a little more difficult to deal with. There are days when you would say he was more focused on a game, on whether he was going to be selected or not.
“When he came into the classroom, Enzo liked to make sounds, banging his pencil case on the table. I remember entering the classroom, and on the left side was Enzo’s place, and he was with his back against the wall, his feet on the other bench, and there were days when he was like: ‘Today I’m going to stay like this.’ Julián was calmer, much more respectful.
22 players will walk out into the Kansas City evening with an equal chance of influencing this contest but the eyes of the world will be trained squarely on the oldest and shortest of them.
Your eyes are not deceiving you, that is a Zidane in goal for the Fennecs, Luca Zidane, son of the French World Cup legend.
Algeria XI
Vladimir Petkovic has opted for a 5-2-3 formation in a bid to stiffen his side’s defence. Star man Riyad Mahrez starts on the bench.
23 Zidane; 17 Belghali, 2 Mandi, 21 Bensebaini, 15 Ait-Nouri; 19 Bentaleb, 14 Boudaoui; 22 Maza, 10 Chaibi, 11 Hadj Moussa, 9 Gouiri.
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Argentina XI
Lionel Scaloni has left in-demand Julian Alvarez on the bench for Argentina’s opening match. Cristian Romero is fit to start after fleeing Tottenham’s relegation battle.
23 E Martinez; 4 Montiel, 13 Romero, 6 Li Martinez, 25 Medina; 7 De Paul, 24 Fernandez, 20 Mac Allister; 10 Messi, 16 Almada, 22 La Martinez.
What about Algeria? Even Maher Mezahi isn’t sure what to expect.
Algeria are one of this World Cup’s great unknowns. On paper, this team has an impressive recent record: a friendly victory over the Netherlands made it 21 wins, four draws and three defeats from 28 matches under Vladimir Petkovic, with 67 goals scored. The problem is that it has been achieved against generally poor-quality opposition. Algeria’s qualifying campaign was a breeze, with Guinea and Mozambique – both considered Pot C sides on the continent – being their sternest tests.
We can be pretty sure Petkovic will lean on his players’ technical quality, play attractive football, but leave gaps in behind the defence. What we don’t know is which players will be called upon for half the starting positions.
Ok, turning our attention now to Argentina v Algeria, let’s get a view on the defending champions from the experts at Olé.
The holders arrive at the World Cup with a squad that knows each other almost by heart but perhaps not with its players in peak physical condition – several had injury set-backs at the end of a very demanding season with their clubs. If everyone is fit, the coach will field many of the same players who were crowned champions in Qatar, with the exception of Ángel Di María, who no longer plays for the national team.
Lionel Scaloni’s plan is to keep the 4-3-3 formation, with a solid defence featuring two centre-backs and two attacking full-backs, plus dynamic midfielders with excellent passing. Lionel Messi leads the charge once more, supported by the formidable Julián Alvarez and Thiago Almada, who could be the breakout star. Almost two thirds of the 2022 squad remains, but it now also includes some promising young players such as Nico Paz, who has been in excellent form at Como. They will also have established stars like Lautaro Martínez, who aims to be in top condition for this World Cup: something he couldn’t achieve in Qatar.
Norway have delivered on their pre-tournament dark horse status with a comfortable 4-1 victory over Iraq to join France at the top of Group I. There was a brace for Erling Haaland, putting the Manchester City goal machine alongside Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot.
In the latest who-cares-the-rapture-is-coming-soon-anyway news Johnny Child continues to turn left for global warming.
As a result of the huge distances the New Weather Institute has described this World Cup as “the most polluting event ever”, estimating that it will generate about 9 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. Air travel is responsible for about 7.7 million tons of that carbon estimate, more than four times that of the average for World Cups held from 2010 to 2022.
In today’s opening match France overcame a disjointed first half to run out comfortable 3-1 winners over Senegal. Les Bleus didn’t look at their best for big chunks but the class of Olise, Mbappé, Doue, and Barcola proved irresistible.
Mbappé now has 14 goals in 15 World Cup matches, drawing him alongside Gerd Muller on the all-time standings, behind only Ronaldo and Miroslav Klose. He will surely leave North America as the most prolific goalscorer in finals history.
Max and the gang celebrate Cape Verde on the latest World Cup Daily pod.
In case you missed it, international manager par excellence Hervé Renard will go to the ball after all. He of the fitted white dress shirt qualified with Saudi Arabia, only to lose his job on the eve of the tournament. The Frenchman has answered Tunisia’s SOS and will replace Sabri Lamouchi in the dugout for the remaineder of the tournament after the former Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City boss was sacked following a grisly opening defeat to Sweden.
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Michael Butler compiled the latest Football Daily roundup, featuring Pico Lopes, Marcelo Bielsa, and the late Roy Hattersley.
Let’s ease into the third fixture of matchday six by peering into the mind of David Squires.
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of match 19 of the 2026 World Cup between Argentina and Algeria. Kick-off in this Group J clash at Kansas City Stadium is 8pm local time (9pm EDT/2am BST/11am AEST).
The arrival of the defending champions into a tournament always adds a frisson of excitement to proceedings and that is the case today as Argentina get their campaign underway. Of course the presence of la Albiceleste also means that of captain, Lionel Messi, who alone has the heft of a participating nation in these parts since his move to MLS.
2022 was Messi’s crowing glory, the triumph that cemented his status among the very greatest in football history. He is not without a chance of adding a second winner’s medal to his collection in North America, but he faces a tougher task this time around as he and his team battle the unvanquishable opponent: time.
Algeria offer a stiff early test of an ageing team’s title defence. Ranked 28th in the world they are coached by the canny Vladimir Petkovic and captained by serial winner Riyad Mahrez. They warmed up for the World Cup by beating the Netherlands in Rotterdam and thrashing Argentina’s northern neighbours Bolivia 4-0.
I’ll be back shortly with team news and a round-up of all the matchday action so far. In the meantime you can keep an eye on Iraq v Norway and email any thoughts about the tournament so far to jonathan.howcroft.freelance@theguardian.com.
