Messi hat-trick powers Argentina past Algeria 3–0

Messi hat-trick sinks Algeria 3–0

That is how you open a World Cup. Lionel Messi scored all three goals as Argentina beat Algeria 3–0 to kick off their title defense in style (1) (2). No slow start, no opening-match curse, just a clean, clinical night. Flaco López stayed on the bench for the full 90.

Messi tops FIFA's attacking Power Ranking

Three goals will do that. Messi sits at the top of FIFA's official attacking ranking after the first round, ahead of Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappé (1). The list covers 30 players from the opening matches, but nobody touched Messi's output.

Julian Alvarez to Arsenal, Atletico want a deal

Atletico Madrid are trying to sell Julian Alvarez to Arsenal, with Barcelona also watching (3). No fee or timeline confirmed yet. Alvarez started Argentina's opener and remains central to Scaloni's setup, so any move carries weight for the national team.

Power rankings: Argentina surge, Spain stumble

Spain's draw with Cabo Verde reshuffled the rankings. Argentina have climbed, France sit top, and the USMNT started strong after beating Paraguay 4–1 (4). Your team's opener did exactly what it needed to, and the rankings reflect it.

Fan reactions

The mood after matchday one is almost disbelief at how easy Messi made it look. Three goals, no drama, and a record sixth World Cup appearance, Reddit threads are split between awe and the usual GOAT debate. The national anthem compilation thread captured the pre-match atmosphere, with Argentina's Himno Nacional Argentino among the most shared clips of the opening round. Watch the anthems here