Argentina Defeats Algeria 3-0 in FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier

Kathmandu. In the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group 'J' match, Argentina defeated Algeria 3-0, making a spectacular start to the competition.

Captain Lionel Messi made the biggest impact of the game. He completed a hat-trick by scoring in the 17th, 60th, and 76th minutes, ensuring Argentina's victory.
Although one goal was disallowed due to offside at the beginning, he later took control of the game by scoring three consecutive goals.

Although Algeria made some attacking attempts in the first half and around the break between the first and second halves, they could not penetrate Argentina's defense. VAR also disallowed one of their early goals for being offside, which changed the course of the game.

With Messi's historic performance, Argentina, considered a title contender, has shown a strong presence.

With the hat-trick, Messi has also equaled the record for the most goals in the World Cup. With 16 goals in the World Cup, Messi has equaled the record held by Germany's Miroslav Klose.