LIONEL Messi became the World Cup’s joint-top all-time scorer with a hat-trick as reigning champions Argentina began their defence with a statement victory over Algeria.
Making his 200th appearance for his country, Messi scored his first treble at a World Cup.
And it created a piece of history, as the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner took his World Cup finals goal tally to 16 moving him level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading scorer in the competition’s history.
The three-time world champions were made to work for victory at the Kansas City Stadium as they aim to become only the third nation to successfully defend the World Cup.
It was the first time Argentina had won their opening match at a World Cup as defending champions, having suffered defeats in 1982 and 1990.
That was down to the brilliance of Messi, who curled home a wonderful opener in the 17th minute.
The 38-year-old collected the ball from Inter Miami team-mate Rodrigo De Paul before bending a strike past Luca Zidane – the son of France legend Zinedine Zidane – on his 27th World Cup appearance.
His goal arrived 12 minutes after an earlier effort had been disallowed during a breathless start, with Algeria also having a strike ruled out three minutes later as the game burst into life right from the off.
But on a night when he became the first player to appear in six World Cups, Messi was lucky to escape punishment for reckless challenge on Algeria’s Aissa Mandi midway through the first half.
Argentina’s second came from close range on the hour mark when Messi pounced on a mistake from Zidane, before he sealed a first World Cup treble in the 76th minute when he arrowed home a thunderous strike from the edge of the area after taking the ball from Nicolas Gonzalez.
Having made a winning start in Group J, Argentina next face matches against Austria and Jordan.
Lionel Messi has scored his 16th World Cup exactly 20 years after his first against Serbia and Montenegro in 2006
If anyone was questioning why Messi did not hang up his international boots after winning the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, he delivered an emphatic answer here.
A week out from his 39th birthday, he rolled back the years with a sensational display, claiming yet another record from long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo by becoming the oldest player to score a hat-trick at a World Cup.
Much had been made of Messi’s decision to continue his international career after leading Argentina to the summit of world football four years ago. But this performance proved he is not in the United States to make up the numbers this summer – he is determined to help Argentina to secure a fourth World Cup success.
After drawing level with Klose as the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer, few would bet against Messi claiming that record outright by the time the final whistle blows in Argentina’s next match against Austria.
Once again, it will be all eyes on the Argentine superstar on Monday.