The match showcased Messi's brilliance as he celebrated his 200th international appearance with a hat trick, setting multiple records in the process. With these three goals, Messi increased his total World Cup tally to 16, tying him with Miroslav Klose of Germany for the most goals in World Cup history.
Additionally, Messi surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo's record for the oldest player to score a hat trick in a World Cup match, previously set during the 2018 tournament in Russia when Ronaldo was 33.
Messi opened the scoring in the 17th minute, receiving a pass from Rodrigo De Paul near the halfway line. He advanced into the penalty area and struck a precise left-footed shot into the bottom right corner of the net.
He added a second goal in the 60th minute when Algeria's goalkeeper, Luca Zidane, failed to handle a long-range shot from Alexis Mac Allister. Messi capitalized on the loose ball, tapping it in with his right foot.
Messi completed his hat trick in the 76th minute, dribbling past defenders and exchanging passes with Nicolas Gonzalez before firing another left-footed shot into the net.
As he left the field in the 80th minute, Messi received a standing ovation from the crowd after being substituted for Nico Paz. Argentina maintained their three-goal lead for the remainder of the match, securing a dominant victory in their first game of the tournament.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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