Al Jazeera

By Kevin Hand

    Lionel Messi marked his record sixth World Cup appearance with his first hat-trick at a FIFA tournament – also becoming the joint-highest scorer at a World Cup – as Argentina beat Algeria 3-0 to open the defence of their global crown.

    The former 38-year-old forward thought he had opened the scoring in the eighth minute in Kansas City on Tuesday when he slotted home from close range, but the offside flag was raised.

    The dream start to his record-setting appearance, which will be matched by Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal against the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Wednesday, was not to be denied for long, though.

    A trademark, mazy run was capped by a drive on the edge of the box from that famed left foot. The power was too much for Algeria keeper Luca Zidane, son of World Cup winner with France, Zinedine.

    Messi doubled his tally on the hour mark with a simple tap-in from a rebound off the keeper following a drive from Alexis Mac Allister.

    The moment that was magical even for a player as decorated as Messi came in the 76th minute when he drilled low past the keeper from just outside the box.

    The strike took Messi level with former Germany striker Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals.

    His substitution came just three minutes later to a standing ovation – even old maestro seemed disappointed to be removed, and most likely rested for Argentina’s tilt at becoming only the third side to defend a World Cup title.

    Algeria – the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations winners – offered little, but were themselves denied an early goal when Fares Chaibi’s ninth-minute strike was ruled out for offside.

    Messi saw to it that there was no opening game upset to be had at this edition, with Argentina having lost their opening game at Qatar 2022 to Saudi Arabia.

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    Messi, who spent the majority of his club career in Spain with Barcelona before moving to French giants Paris Saint-Germain, plies his trade in US football’s Major League Soccer with Inter Miami.