In the 17th minute, midfielder Rodrigo De Paul delivered a through ball to Messi in the central area. The Argentina captain turned towards the goal, advanced a few steps, and then shot into the top right corner, giving his team the lead. This was his first goal in his sixth World Cup appearance. The 38-year-old forward is also the first player to feature in six World Cups.

Lionel Messi's emotions after scoring in the World Cup 2026 Group J match between Argentina and Algeria in Kansas City, Missouri, on 16/6/2026. Photo: AP

After the goal, Messi celebrated emotionally with his familiar gesture of raising both hands to the sky. However, television footage later showed the 38-year-old forward moved to tears, wiping them with his jersey. This was Messi's 14th goal in World Cup history, but his first as the reigning world champion.

In the stands, fans continuously chanted "Messi, Messi, Messi" to congratulate and honor the Argentina captain. Many supporters were also moved by the brilliant goal from the forward, who plays in MLS for Inter Miami.

Messi reportedly wipes away tears after scoring the opening goal. Photo: screenshot

In this match, Messi scored two more goals in the 60th and 76th minutes. In the 60th minute, he scored a right-footed rebound from close range after Alexis Mac Allister's long-range shot was parried. Sixteen minutes later, he completed his hat-trick with a shot from the edge of the penalty area into his favored bottom left corner. Throughout his career, he has scored at least dozens of goals in a similar fashion.

When Messi left the field in the 80th minute, most spectators rose to applaud the Argentina captain's performance. He concluded the match by equaling Miroslav Klose's record of 16 World Cup goals. Messi still has ample time to set a new record.

Messi was the focal point of Argentina's attack, taking the most shots in the match, with six attempts. The 38-year-old forward had four shots on target, achieving a 67% accuracy rate, and also created two chances for his teammates.

Beyond his offensive contributions, Messi also participated in defensive support with two tackles, one clearance, and three ball recoveries.

Previously, Messi also appeared emotional during Argentina's final training session at home before the 2026 World Cup. He had often considered not participating in this World Cup, but ultimately did so because he maintained his physical condition. His hat-trick in the opening match demonstrated that Messi's decision was sound.

Compiled by Hoang An