Lionel Messi became the second player to score in five World Cups, giving defending champion Argentina an early 1-0 lead over Algeria on Tuesday night. Making his record sixth appearance in the tournament,

Lionel Messi opened his 2026 World Cup with a quick goal against Algeria, the 14th time he's scored in soccer's biggest tournament. The 38-year-old stunning left-footed strike past Algeria goalkeeper Luka Zidane tied him with Kylian Mbappe for third on the all-time World Cup scoring list,

As Lionel Messi prepares to take the field for the first match of his sixth and final FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, Argentines are chasing a different prize: his elusive golden sticker.

Lionel Messi became the second player to score in five World Cups, giving defending champion Argentina an early 1-0 lead over Algeria.

Lionel Messi and Argentina 's World Cup title defence is underway as they face Algeria in Kansas City today. After having an early goal denied by the offside flag, Messi scored a brilliant goal in the 17th minute to give the defending champions the lead.

Lionel Messi may not have faced the media but dominated a chunk of Argentina's press conferences ahead of ​their World Cup opener, with coach Lionel Scaloni and defender ‌Nicolas Otamendi underlining his importance.

Argentina fans have gathered outside Origin Hotel day after day since the squad arrived, hoping for a glimpse of the World Cup champions. The big picture: The team's riverfront hotel has become a daily draw,

Lionel Messi has already achieved all there is to achieve in football, but there are still a few more World Cup records he will be aiming to break.