article author: Mohammed Fayad Wed, 2026-06-17 06: 06 RIYADH: In a tournament that will serve as a farewell for many football icons, the world eagerly anticipated what Lionel Messi would produce in Argentina’s opener against Algeria. That anticipation only grew on a night when Kylian Mbappe scored twice to move ahead of him in the all-time World Cup goalscoring charts. By full time, however, it was Messi who had reclaimed the spotlight. At 39, the Argentine was once again the best player on the pitch, leading Argentina to a 3-0 victory over a subdued Algeria with a hat trick. Main category: Sport Football Tags: FIFA World Cup 2026 Lionel Messi Algeria Argentina



