Lionel Messi delivered one of the standout performances of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 16, scoring a hat trick as Argentina beat Algeria 3-0 in Kansas City. His goals tied Miroslav Klose’s men’s World Cup scoring record and turned Argentina’s opener into another milestone night for the No. 10.
The night also produced a major officiating debate. Messi was penalized for a first-half challenge on Algeria defender Aïssa Mandi, but no card was shown, and VAR did not intervene. The decision quickly became one of the biggest talking points from Argentina’s opening win.
A record night in Kansas City
Argentina opened its 2026 World Cup campaign with a commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Messi scored in the 17th, 60th, and 76th minutes to claim his first-ever hat-trick at a World Cup. The crowd of 69,045 fans erupted with every goal, and No. 10 was once again the center of the football world.
The win also marked Messi’s 200th international appearance for Argentina, making him only the third male player in history to reach that milestone, joining Cristiano Ronaldo and Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa. It was a night packed with milestones that fans will talk about for decades.
The moment that broke the internet
Around the 30th minute, with Argentina leading 1-0, Messi caught Algeria defender Aïssa Mandi on the calf during a challenge from behind. Mandi went down and received brief treatment before continuing.
Referee Szymon Marciniak, who also handled the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France, awarded Algeria a foul but did not show Messi a card. VAR did not recommend an on-field review, leaving fans and pundits debating whether the challenge should have led to a red card.
Fun fact: Szymon Marciniak was also the referee for the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France before taking charge of Argentina’s 2026 opener against Algeria.
What the experts said
ESPN analyst Ale Moreno did not hold back after the match. He called it a “100% red card” and said it feeds the narrative that elite players receive preferential treatment. He described Messi as raking the back of Mandi’s calf “from his knee all the way down to his ankle.”
Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha agreed. “In the commentary, they didn’t even say anything happened,” Nedum noted. “We were just watching the video of it, and it was like, ‘Oh, that’s quite bad,’ and they were like, ‘It’s good to see Messi pressing.”
Why VAR stayed silent
Under the laws of the game, a red card is reserved for offences involving excessive force or serious foul play. The referee assessed the challenge in real time and concluded it did not meet that threshold. VAR did not intervene and chose not to recommend a monitor check.
That explanation has not satisfied many fans. Critics argue that the same challenge from an unknown player would have drawn an instant dismissal. The lack of a VAR review, more than anything else, has fueled the loudest outrage on social media and sports TV alike.
The hat-trick that made history
Despite the controversy, Messi’s performance was historic. His hat-trick tied him with Germany’s Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals, the most in men’s tournament history.
At 38, Messi also became the oldest player to score a World Cup hat trick. He became the first male player to appear in six World Cups and joined Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the only men to score in five different editions of the tournament.
Fun fact: Messi has now scored more World Cup goals after turning 35 (ten) than Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Harry Kane, Diego Maradona, and Thierry Henry scored in their entire World Cup careers.
Tears behind the goals
After scoring his opening goal, Messi was seen wiping away tears on the pitch. Many assumed the emotion was tied to the historic nature of the night. But Messi explained the real reason in his post-match comments.
“I cried after the first goal, yes, but it was something completely unrelated to football,” Messi said. “I went through some difficult days, but I’m grateful to the entire delegation and my teammates because they were always by my side.” Argentine journalist Eduardo Feinmann later reported that the difficult days were tied to the health of Messi’s father.
Argentina’s title defense rolls on
The win gave Argentina maximum points in Group J and sent a statement to every other team in the tournament. It also echoed a famous piece of Argentine history. In 1994, Gabriel Batistuta scored a hat-trick as Argentina beat Greece 4-0 in their World Cup opener. Messi is now the second Argentine to score a World Cup opening-game hat-trick.
Messi and Argentina next face Austria on June 22 in their second Group J fixture. Austria also won their opener, defeating Jordan 3-1. With Messi already leading the Golden Boot standings on three goals, the defending champions look very much like the team to beat in 2026.
A legacy too big to ignore
Messi now holds the record for the most goal contributions in World Cup history with 24 total (16 goals and 8 assists), passing Brazil legend Pelé. He is also the sole record holder for most World Cup appearances with 27. Every match seems to add another line to what is already one of football’s most decorated resumes.
Whether or not the red card controversy fades, the on-field numbers are impossible to dismiss. Messi is one goal away from owning the all-time World Cup scoring record outright. At 38, in his sixth and final World Cup, he shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.
TL;DR
- Messi scored a hat-trick against Algeria on June 16 in a 3-0 win at the 2026 World Cup in Kansas City.
- His three goals tied him with Germany’s Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals, the most in men’s history.
- Around the 31-minute mark, Messi made a dangerous challenge on Aissa Mandi’s calf. No card was shown, and VAR did not intervene.
- ESPN analysts Ale Moreno and Nedum Onuoha both called it a clear red card and criticized the officiating team.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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