Algeria open World Cup against Argentina with Zidane in goal

World Cup opener: Argentina today

It is here. Algeria face Argentina in Kansas City on Tuesday, the opening match of Group H at the 2026 World Cup (1) (2) (3). Defending champions. Messi's 200th cap. Your team walks into the hardest possible start.

Scaloni said it plainly: "Being world champions guarantees us nothing" (7). And the Argentina manager is not just being polite. "L'Algérie nous préoccupe," he told the press, Algeria worry him (2).

Messi not fully fit, Petkovic has a plan

Lionel Messi carries a muscle issue into the match and may not play the full 90 minutes (3). Scaloni insists Messi "looks good" and will play (8), but the injury is real. Argentina are weighing how many minutes to give him.

Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic has been working on a specific plan to handle Messi and Argentina's stars (5). He met Scaloni before the match. The details are his, but the goal is clear: keep the clean sheet alive. Algeria's defensive record under Petkovic has been a point of pride, with the team entering the World Cup on a run of clean sheets (5).

Argentina's lineup: Martínez likely over Álvarez

Emiliano Martínez is fit and expected to start in goal, despite earlier concerns (4). Up front, Lautaro Martínez looks set to get the nod over Julián Álvarez (4). Scaloni kept the rest of the XI close, saying only that the team will be confirmed after Monday's session (4).

The World Cup opener is at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Your team kick off against the holders, and a Zidane will be in goal for Algeria.

Luca Zidane: the name, the roots, the moment

Luca Zidane is the starting goalkeeper for Algeria at this World Cup (1) (6). Twenty years since his father Zinedine last played on this stage. Luca knows what the name carries. "Queste sono le mie radici, il cognome non mi pesa", these are my roots, the surname does not weigh on me (6).

Zinedine Zidane is in Kansas City to watch his son (1). A Zidane between the posts for the Fennecs, against Messi. There is no bigger stage.

Fan reactions

Fans on Reddit are circling Scaloni's pre-match quotes, particularly the admission that Algeria are a serious threat and that "not everything ends with the first game" (1). There is a quiet confidence among supporters that Petkovic's defensive setup can frustrate Argentina, especially if Messi's minutes are managed. Read the discussion here.