The atmosphere at Argentina’s opening match against Algeria felt reminiscent of iconic football venues like La Bombonera or El Monumental. On Tuesday night, Kansas City Stadium buzzed with nearly 70,000 Argentine fans, who filled the air with enthusiastic chants for their team and their star player.
There was certainly much for them to celebrate.
Argentina rose to the occasion, led by Lionel Messi, who in his 200th appearance further cemented his legacy as one of football’s greatest players. He scored a stunning hat-trick, bringing his World Cup tally to 16 goals, thus equaling Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the all-time scoring record in the tournament, just hours after Kylian Mbappé of France had surpassed him with 14.
The midfielder from Inter Miami also made history as the first male player to compete in six World Cups, a feat likely to be matched by Cristiano Ronaldo when Portugal starts their campaign. Despite recent recovery from a muscle injury, any lingering doubts about Messi’s fitness were dispelled when he was named in Lionel Scaloni’s starting lineup, and those concerns vanished once the match commenced.
Just five minutes into the game, Messi nearly scored the opener. After receiving a through-ball near the box, his well-placed shot was ruled offside by assistant referee Tomasz Listkiewicz by a hair’s breadth. Shortly thereafter, Algeria’s Farès Chaïbi had a similarly impressive goal disallowed for being offside.
Messi wasted no time in putting Argentina ahead, netting his first goal in the 17th minute. He received the ball from his Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul from 40 yards out, then took three touches towards the goal before unleashing a powerful shot from the edge of the area that slipped past Algeria’s goalkeeper, Luca Zidane.
The only blemish on an otherwise stellar performance came in the first half when Messi escaped a potential card after a reckless challenge on Algerian defender Aïssa Mandi. His actions arguably warranted a yellow card, or even a red, but he received neither, and the incident went unreviewed.
Messi’s second goal was even simpler than his first. In the 60th minute, a speculative shot from Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister was parried by Zidane directly to Messi, who calmly slotted it home from close range. Algeria’s defense was again left wanting, while Argentina excelled at the back throughout the match.
Completing his hat-trick in the 76th minute, Messi produced a classic finish, threading the ball through three defenders and just beyond Zidane’s reach. He exited the match shortly after.
Fans from both nations have been highly visible in Kansas City, particularly in nearby Lawrence, where the Algerian team will stay during the tournament. Thousands of Argentine supporters gathered at a local park for a banderazo on Monday night, celebrating with songs and dances until the early hours. The energy shifted to the stadium on Tuesday night, where excitement filled the air long before kickoff.
Algeria’s supporters have enjoyed a heartwarming welcome in Lawrence, despite being outnumbered. Vibrant pockets of green appeared amid Argentina’s blue-and white, rallying behind the underdog team.
Ranked 28th, Algeria aimed for a positive return to the World Cup after a 12-year hiatus, reinvigorated under head coach Vladimir Petković. They showcased glimpses of their energetic style during qualifying, though they struggled to convert opportunities into goals and never truly posed a significant challenge.
Algeria’s upcoming match against Jordan looms large, now a must-win encounter, especially as they consider themselves more evenly matched with Austria.
Scaloni had tempered expectations ahead of Tuesday’s game, stating that a victory over the Desert Foxes was not essential. He knows this all too well, having overseen Argentina’s stunning group stage loss to Saudi Arabia in 2022, one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.
Regardless of expectations, Scaloni will undoubtedly be pleased with the three points, bringing Argentina closer to advancing to the knockout stage. They are set to face Austria in Arlington, Texas, on Monday, where Messi is expected to continue making history.
