Lionel Messi has done it again.<\/p>\n
On a night that further enhanced his legend \u2013 if that were possible \u2013 Argentina’s skipper opened his record-breaking sixth World Cup with a stunning hat-trick to become the tournament’s joint all-time top scorer on Tuesday as holders Argentina launched their bid for back-to-back titles with a dazzling 3-0 rout of Algeria.<\/p>\n
On a magical night at Kansas City’s 69,045-capacity Arrowhead Stadium, Messi delivered an electrifying individual display to join Germany’s Miroslav Klose at the top of the World Cup scorers charts with 16 goals.<\/p>\n
The 38-year-old had started an unforgettable occasion \u2013\u00a0his 200th international appearance for Argentina \u2013\u00a0by claiming a piece of history, becoming the first man to play in six World Cups as he led the Albiceleste<\/em> onto the field for what would become a one-sided Group J clash.<\/p>\n Messi, who first played in the World Cup as a teenager during the 2006 finals in Germany, then emphatically stamped his class over proceedings with a memorable hat-trick \u2013 the first of his World Cup career.<\/p>\n The Inter Miami star opened the scoring with 17th-minute curling screamer from the edge of the penalty box, taking his World Cup goals tally to 14.<\/p>\n Messi bagged his second in the 60th minute after pouncing on a rebound from an Alexis Mac Allister shot to make it 2-0.<\/p>\n He joined Germany’s Klose on 16 World Cup goals in the 76th minute, sweeping in a low powerful\u00a0finish from the edge of the area,\u00a0before departing to deafening applause and a standing ovation from an adoring crowd four minutes later.<\/p>\n The performance will fuel hopes\u00a0among Argentina supporters that the reigning champions can successfully defend the crown they won in Qatar in 2022 and claim a fourth World Cup title.<\/p>\n Even after years of Messi’s magic\u00a0miracles, the tens of thousands of\u00a0Argentina fans in the stadium and watching at home could scarcely believe what they were seeing from a player who will turn 39 in eight days’ time.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Scaloni ‘speechless’<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00abI have no words. Whatever I say is unnecessary, it’s incredible,\u00bb said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said after the match.<\/p>\n \u00abHe’s been doing it for 20 years,\u00bb added the coach, who played alongside Messi at the Germany 2006 finals. \u00abBeyond the result, people have to enjoy him because what he gives to the world is incredible.\u00bb<\/p>\n It was an emotional night. Messi himself burst into tears after firing in\u00a0his first goal in the 17th minute, opening the scoring in what is set to be his final World Cup campaign, one finally free of the pressures and traumas that dogged him before Argentina’s triumph in Qatar.<\/p>\n With the second of the goals he scored past Algeria keeper Luca Zinade \u2013 son of the legendary French international Zinedine Zidane \u2013 Messi surpassed the tally of 14 goals reached earlier in the day by France’s Kylian Mbapp\u00e9, who had struck a brace against Senegal in a 3-1 win for\u00a0Les Bleus.<\/em><\/p>\n The Arrowhead Stadium, often dubbed the loudest stadium in the world, erupted again in the 77th minute when Messi completed his hat-trick with a clinical finish from the edge of the area.<\/p>\n It was Messi’s 120th goal for Argentina in 200 appearances.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Sixth World Cup<\/strong><\/p>\n The emotion among the sea of Argentina fans in the Kansas City stands was evident from the national anthem, sung at full volume by their captain and the rest of the squad.<\/p>\n Messi’s sixth World Cup adventure began with the opening whistle from Polish referee Szymon Marciniak \u2013\u00a0the same official who oversaw the final in Qatar \u2013 and within four minutes Messi had already found the net.<\/p>\n But the\u00a0goal, created by a superb assist from Lautaro Mart\u00ednez, was ruled out for a marginal offside.<\/p>\n Centre-forward Mart\u00ednez was selected to partner Messi in attack due to Juli\u00e1n \u00c1lvarez’s troubles\u00a0with an ankle problem, though the Atl\u00e9tico Madrid star would come on for Lautaro in the second half.<\/p>\n In the eighth minute, VAR came to Argentina’s rescue by intervening to disallow a goal from Algeria’s Fares Chaibi, who had beaten returning\u00a0Albiceleste\u00a0<\/em>goalkeeper Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Mart\u00ednez at his near post.<\/p>\n During the VAR review, memories resurfaced of Argentina’s shock defeat to Saudi Arabia in their opening match of the Qatar World Cup.<\/p>\n But the goal was chalked off and the anxiety quickly gave way to euphoria when Rodrigo De Paul threaded a quick pass from the centre circle into Messi’s path between the lines.<\/p>\n The playmaker shifted the ball onto his left foot and, before entering the penalty area, unleashed a fierce strike into the top corner.<\/p>\n Messi broke down in tears as the stadium roared around him.\u00a0<\/p>\n The frenetic pace of the contest was interrupted by a drinks break. Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic stuck to his plan, keeping his players deep, pressing little and waiting for opportunities on the counter-attack.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n A gift from Zidane<\/strong><\/p>\n After the interval, Argentina remained in control but a second goal was elusive.<\/p>\n Just after the hour mark, Messi was handed a gift by Zidane, who failed to hold a long-range effort from Mac Allister.<\/p>\n Alert as ever, the skipper reacted quickest to the mistake and tapped in his second goal of the night.<\/p>\n Having levelled his World Cup tally with France’s Kylian\u00a0Mbapp\u00e9 with his first goal, Messi now matched another footballing great, Brazil’s Ronaldo, on 15 tournament goals, with his second strike.<\/p>\n Only one more was needed to join Klose at the summit, and neither Zidane, who managed to parry one dangerous effort, nor Marciniak, who declined to award a penalty despite appeals, was going to prevent it.<\/p>\n With his final, clinical\u00a0strike, Messi drew level with the now retired Klose.<\/p>\n He\u00a0will now have the opportunity to claim the record outright in Argentina’s upcoming Group J matches against Austria and Jordan.<\/p>\n And who would bet against it?<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2013 TIMES\/AFP<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\nrelated news<\/h6>\n<\/p>\n<\/section>\n