Port-au-Prince, Wednesday, June 17, 2026 – Argentina made a massive statement in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup. Facing Algeria at Kansas City Stadium, the Albiceleste secured a commanding 3-0 victory thanks to an exceptional Lionel Messi, who scored a historic hat-trick.
This magnificent performance by the Argentine captain immediately made headlines around the world and sparked a wave of praise in the international press. Meanwhile, the French team also successfully passed their baptism of fire by dominating Senegal 3-1, confirming their ambitions in the competition.
A Historic Evening for Messi, Unanimous Reactions in the World Press
At 39 years old, Lionel Messi continues to write the most beautiful pages in the history of world football. Against Algeria, the Argentine world champion delivered a demonstration of talent that left observers speechless.
From the 17th minute, the number 10 opened the scoring with a powerful strike following an excellent pass from Rodrigo De Paul. Highly influential throughout the game, he then doubled the lead in the 60th minute by capitalizing on a ball parried by Algerian goalkeeper Luca Zidane. Sixteen minutes later, he completed his recital with an unstoppable strike from the edge of the box to score the first hat-trick of his World Cup career.
Beyond the victory, this performance allowed Messi to further cement his legendary status. With his three goals, he reached the mark of 16 World Cup goals, thus equaling German Miroslav Klose at the top of the all-time World Cup scoring charts. He also became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup and the first to score in the competition over a twenty-year span.
The international press was quick to hail this feat. In Spain, AS ran a simple yet evocative front-page headline: “Historic Messi!” while Marca described his performance as “brutal.” In Italy, Corriere dello Sport spoke of a true “spectacle” offered by the Argentine genius. The Portuguese daily A Bola summed up the evening in one sentence: “Messi is from another world.” In Germany, Bild opined that the Argentine had once again worked his magic, while in France, L’Équipe emphasized that “the greatest goalscorer in history is Messi.”
On the American continent, tributes were equally numerous. Uruguay’s El País highlighted the collection of records accumulated by the Inter Miami player in his sixth World Cup. In Brazil, Globo emphasized his equaling of the record previously held by Klose. In Mexico, the daily Récord simply chose the title “Historic!” to illustrate the magnitude of the event.
On the Argentine side, enthusiasm was naturally at its peak. The country’s media celebrated the latest demonstration by their captain, a true symbol of a golden generation. After the match, coach Lionel Scaloni also paid tribute to his leader: “He will be the best as long as he wants to be,” he declared. Messi, named man of the match, was more measured, saying he was “happy with this start” and proud to see his team begin the competition in the best possible way.
In Algeria, despite the disappointment, the press acknowledged the opponent’s superiority. The daily Compétition cited Messi’s “genius” as the main explanation for the Fennecs’ defeat. El Khabar lamented the lack of fighting spirit from Vladimir Petkovic’s men, while El Watan called for optimism, reminding that qualification remains possible in a group that is still wide open.
A few hours earlier, France had also successfully entered the tournament. Facing Senegal, Les Bleus had to be patient before making the difference. It was ultimately Michael Olise who broke the deadlock in the 66th minute, delivering a perfect assist to Kylian Mbappé. The Real Madrid forward then scored a brace to guide his team to a 3-1 victory. In his first World Cup appearance, Olise was rewarded with the man-of-the-match title thanks to his decisive influence on the French game.
The other matches of the day also provided their share of spectacle. Norway dominated Iraq 4-1, confirming their status as a serious contender for qualification in Group I. Finally, Austria secured a 3-1 victory over Jordan in Group J, joining Argentina at the top of the standings.
By Marie Farah Fortuné
