“We are always the home team, and that is a big advantage,” said Lionel Messi in an interview shortly after Argentina 3-0 Algeria, in the current world champion’s debut at the 2026 World Cup.
He was referring to the thousands of Argentine fans who supported the Albiceleste team at the Arrowhead stadium (capacity for 73,000 spectators), in Kansas City, in the mid-west of the USA, the country that hosts this World Cup along with Canada and Mexico.
On the field, when he scored all of Argentina’s goals, one in the first half and two in the second, it was he, Messi, who scored. On more than one front.
This June 16, the most memorable day of this World Cup, which started on Thursday (11), Messi reached 16 goals in World Cups. His first, in an incredible coincidence, came on another June 16th, in 2006, 6-0 in Serbia – he was a reserve and wore the number 19 shirt.
Now, with the mythical number 10 shirt, he commands the top of the scoring charts, alongside the German Miroslav Klose, who scored his 16th and last 12 years ago, in the World Cup in Brazil, in Germany’s 7-1 win in Brazil, in the semi-final at Mineirão, Mineiraço.
He also sent it on the same day. In the first match this Tuesday, another star, Kylian Mbappé, from Real Madrid, scored two goals in France’s 3-1 victory over Senegal, in East Rutherford (USA).
In just his third World Cup, he reached 14 goals in total and passed Pelé, the best of all time, and Messi, who at that time had 13 in five appearances. He was one behind Ronaldo Fenômeno (15 goals).
In the second match, Norway 4 x 1 Iraq, in Boston, Manchester City’s super scorer Erling Haaland, in his World Cup debut, also found the net twice, in addition to being involved in the fourth goal, which was an own goal. Blunt.
Messi then showed Mbappé, Haaland and humanity why so many call him a goat (greatest of all time). He recorded a hat-trick, three goals in the same game, his first in a World Cup. The artillery was his, no one else’s.
Shirt number 10 was in charge of the game, he owned it.
He also remains, at 38 years old, 11 years older than Mbappé and 13 years older than Haaland – less fast than them but much more cerebral (“he’s always in the right place”, said Rafael Oliveira, commentator for CazéTV, summing it all up), playing in the USA (Inter Miami) in the final stretch of his career and dealing with physical problems –, the owner of the Argentine national team.
Messi scored two goals from outside the area, with the ball rolling, not being afraid to take risks from distance, something unusual in today’s football, due to a lack of capacity or courage in the team (hello, Spain, 0-0 with Cape Verde). When someone tries, they lack aim. The Argentine’s remains very sharp.
It’s nothing new for him to leak goalkeepers in World Cups from a good distance. The first victim in this case has a famous surname: Luka Zidane is the son of Zinédine, Brazil’s executioner in the 1998 final.
What’s more, opportunism. The second goal against the Algerians showed that Messi is switched on all the time. The one who shot from outside the area, this time, was Mac Allister. Luka Zidane didn’t hold back, and the captain was there, close to the goalkeeper, to push the rebound into the net.
At the Chiefs stadium, in the NFL (American football league), Messi was the boss: he commanded his colleagues, he commanded the day of the World Cup.
Finally, he sent a message. At 39 years old, in a week’s time, he is very willing to be, for the second time in a row, the owner of a World Cup.
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