KANSAS CITY (Interstat) — Forward Lionel Messi scored three goals Tuesday, June 16, 2026, to lead Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Algeria at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in a World Cup match. Messi opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a left-footed shot from inside the penalty area. He doubled the lead in the 60th minute with a right-footed finish. He completed his hat trick in the 76th minute with another left-footed strike. Algeria was unable to score. The win improved Argentina’s World Cup record to 1-0 and its overall season mark to 13-4. Algeria dropped to 0-1 in the tournament and across all competitions. Argentina entered the match following a 1-0 loss to Ecuador in September 2025. The victory gave Argentina a positive start to the World Cup. Messi’s hat trick was the first of the tournament. Argentina next plays Austria on June 22, while Algeria faces Jordan on the same day.