Messi turns back time, steals World Cup stage as Argentina begin title defence with win

For much of the build-up to the World Cup, the questions had been familiar. Was Lionel Messi fit? Was this one World Cup too far? At 38, carrying the load of two decades at the summit of football, could he still bend the sport to his will when it mattered most?

Argentina vs Algeria FIFA World Cup Match Result: Argentina begin title defence with 3-0 win as Lionel Messi scores first World Cup hat-trick

Lionel Messi delivered a vintage performance, scoring a World Cup hat-trick as defending champions Argentina began their title defence with a dominant 3-0 win over Algeria. The star forward's treble,

Argentina vs Algeria: Team News, Predicted Lineups and Match Prediction

Lionel Messi and Argentina kick off their World Cup title defence against Algeria, with Lionel Scaloni's side entering the tournament among the favourites once again
The Peninsula Qatar

Argentina begin title defence against ambitious Algeria

Defending champions Argentina will launch their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign tomorrow (4am, Qatar time) when they face Algeria in a

FIFA World Cup 2026 Day 6: Messi’s Argentina begin title defense, France eye winning start to campaign; how to watch live streaming in US and Canada - check kick-off time and ...

FIFA World Cup 2026's sixth matchday features defending champions Argentina and 2022 runners-up France kicking off their campaigns. Norway's Erling Haaland makes his debut against Iraq, while Austria returns after 28 years.