KANSAS CITY, June 17 -- Argentina captain Lionel Messi produced a stunning hat-trick to lead his side to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026, equalling the tournament's all-time goalscoring record in the process.

The 38-year-old superstar scored all three goals as the defending champions began their campaign in dominant fashion. His third goal of the night, scored in the 76th minute, took his World Cup tally to 16 goals, matching the long-standing record held by German legend Miroslav Klose.

The achievement came exactly 20 years after Messi made his World Cup debut for Argentina against Serbia and Montenegro, a match in which he also found the scoresheet. Two decades later, the Argent...