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Lionel Messi reminded the world why he remains football’s eternal superstar, delivering a hat-trick as defending champions Argentina opened their 2026 FIFA World Cup title defense with a commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria. The iconic match was held at Arrowhead Stadium, home ground of the NFL team Kansas City Chiefs, and hence Patrick Mahomes was in the house.
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Messi magic lights up Arrowhead as NFL star Mahomes watches Argentina cruise past Algeria
The 38-year-old captain, playing in what could be his final World Cup, marked his 200th international appearance in style. He opened the scoring in the 16th minute, exactly 20 years after netting his first World Cup goal on June 16, 2006, and added two more to secure a memorable night for the Albiceleste
Kansas City, long a football stronghold thanks to the Chiefs, embraced the occasion with electric atmospheres and massive crowds. In the stands, Chiefs superstar quarterback Mahomes was spotted enjoying the “Messi show,” smiling appreciatively as the Argentine legend worked his magic on the pitch.
The Chiefs superstar even tweeted goat emojis after the former FC Barcelona player found the net thrice to give Argentina a comfortable victory in the opener. Messi’s performance tied him with Miroslav Klose for the most World Cup goals (16) and made him the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick. Argentina controlled the match throughout, with Algeria offering limited resistance despite a competitive first half.
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