Argentina 3-0 Algeria: 'Still the best' — Messi answers doubters with historic hat-trick and Argentina's plan is working perfectly

Over the past few months, one question followed Lionel Messi throughout his preparation for the 2026 World Cup. At 38, would he still be capable of deciding matches at the highest level? The move to MLS, the distance from European football and a less demanding competitive routine had fuelled doubts over the sharpness the number 10 would bring to the biggest tournament on the planet.

Argentina's opening fixture against Algeria provided a resounding answer. The scorer of all three goals in a 3-0 victory, Messi was the undisputed protagonist of the contest in Kansas City and proved he remains capable of dominating a World Cup match when afforded the space to do so.

The performance also reinforced a perception that has accompanied the Argentine national team for years. While Lionel Scaloni has built a balanced, intense and collectively strong side, it remains a team designed to maximise the output of its greatest player. And nobody appears to have any issue admitting it.

After the match, Alexis Mac Allister was direct and emphatic when addressing the doubts that had surrounded the Argentine captain before the start of the tournament.

"They say he is not the same as before, but tonight everyone saw that Lionel Messi is still the best. And we are a team built around him."

Messi arrived at the World Cup exactly as he planned

Mac Allister's words were no accident. Since the 2022 World Cup triumph, one of Argentina's primary concerns was understanding what condition Messi would be in by the time the 2026 tournament arrived. His talent was never in question. The debate centred on the physical capacity of a player about to compete in his sixth World Cup.

In that regard, the move to the United States in 2023 appears to have played a significant role. Away from the intensity of the European calendar, Messi embraced a more controlled and less physically demanding routine.

There was no shortage of criticism from those who viewed the switch to Inter Miami as a step down in competitiveness. At the same time, the Argentine gained something that few athletes of his age possess: the ability to manage his own body with the biggest moments in mind.

The impression left by the opening match is that the plan worked. Messi arrived at the World Cup fit, physically competitive and still capable of deciding matches against high-level opponents.

Messi turns his opening night into another chapter for the history books

Had the performance alone been the story, it would still have dominated headlines around the world. But the numbers produced in Kansas City made the evening even more remarkable.

With three goals against Algeria, Messi reached the summit of the all-time list for direct goal involvements at the World Cup. The Argentine now boasts 16 goals and eight assists at World Cups, totalling 24 contributions.

The record puts him ahead of Pele, who ended his World Cup career with 12 goals and nine assists. The Brazilian remains the only player to win three World Cups as a player, but one of his historic benchmarks has now been surpassed by the Argentine number 10.

Messi also overtook another Brazilian legend. He has now scored six goals from outside the box at World Cups, surpassing Rivelino, who ended his World Cup career with five.

The evening also provided another chapter in the statistical rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo. By finding the net at yet another edition of the tournament, Messi equalled the Portuguese as the only player to have scored at five different World Cups. The Argentine has competed in six editions — including this one — and only failed to score at South Africa 2010. Ronaldo makes his bow on Wednesday and is also heading into his sixth World Cup.

The records help to illustrate the magnitude of a career that no longer requires statistical validation. Yet they carry symbolic weight. They arrive precisely at a moment when sections of the football world had insisted on questioning whether the Argentine could still make a difference at a World Cup.

The answer came swiftly. And it came in the manner Messi prefers: on the pitch. While the debate raged off it, the number 10 opened his sixth World Cup appearance with a hat-trick, new records and the unmistakable sense that he continues to occupy a place few can threaten.

Argentina are certainly grateful. After all, as Mac Allister put it, the Albiceleste were built to play around Messi. And, at least on opening night, the gamble still appears to make complete sense.