Argentina 3-0 Algeria result - Lionel Messi completes historic hat-trick for ruthless champions in opening game of World Cup defence

Lionel Messi added yet another accolade to his legendary career just a week shy of his 39th birthday, hitting his first World Cup hat-trick as Argentina dispatched Algeria 3-0 in their opening Group J match.

In clinching the treble, Messi equalled Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup goalscoring record, bending from outside the penalty area into the bottom corner, just hours after Kylian Mbappe took his overall tally to only two behind the former German striker.

La Albiceleste got the defence of their title off to the perfect start in Kansas City with a clinical performance against the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarter-finalists, who had a first-half goal ruled out for a tight offside but whose threat diminished as the game progressed.

Messi sent the crowd into raptures after only six minutes when he latched onto a Lautaro Martinez pass and lifted it over Luca Zidane, but the goal was rightly ruled out for offside and moments later Fares Chaibi saw a carbon-copy effort also disallowed.

But Argentina didn’t have to wait long to get on the scoreboard, as Messi collected a pass from Inter Miami team-mate Rodrigo De Paul between the lines, drove towards the penalty area, then smashed his swerving shot through Zidane - son of French icon Zinedine - and into the net.

Argentina’s rotation between the midfield and forward lines caused trouble for Algeria throughout, but it took until the hour mark for them to make it really count again, when Zidane spilled an Alexis Mac Allister shot from distance and Messi was the quickest player to react, poking the ball into the bottom corner.

Algeria benched captain Riyad Mahrez in favour of a more youthful attack but rarely exposed the Argentine defence, and failed to record a shot on target all night despite throwing more and more men forwards as the game progressed.

And Messi wrote his name into the history books moments after a penalty shout was waved away, starting the counter with a clever pass to Nico Gonzalez, before recovering the ball and curling his third goal into the corner. He soon left the field for Nico Paz to a standing ovation.

Argentina’s next match is before Les Bleus', so Messi will have the chance to break Klose’s record ahead of Mbappe, when his side face Austria on Monday.

After a year spent playing mostly inferior opposition, Argentina showed they’ve lost none of their sharpness, putting a fancied Algeria side to the sword and now with one foot already in the knockout round.

Meanwhile, Algeria's World Cup dreams are far from over, but they will need more incision to get their campaign back on track against Jordan.

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The referee blows time on a game that has been over for about 15 minutes in truth, but it's a night that no one watching will ever forget as Lionel Messi wrote his name into the record books yet again.

He comes very deep to pick up the ball and move it upfield, the fluidity has completely left Argentina's attack since Messi departed, Paz will be frustrated.

And Algeria will start them on the front foot. However, La Seleccion are determined to keep a clean sheet having not even conceded a shot on target yet.

It's Algeria's best spell of possession in quite a while as Zerrouki has taken up the role of conductor, they just can't find that killer ball to break open the defence.

Maza makes way, he's been a rare bright spark for the African side tonight but has been well handled by the Argentina defence in the central channel.

Nabil Bentaleb is also off, as Adil Boulbina and Ramiz Zerrouki trot on.

Messi gets a standing ovation from the Kansas City crowd as he goes off for some well-earned rest with Nico Paz - potentially Argentina's next superstar - taking his place.

Messi hands the captain's armband to veteran Nicolas Otamendi, who's on for Romero.

Algeria are looking really ragged as the ball is fed through to Alvarez, but this time the defense scrambles back in time to snuff out the danger.

MESSI HAS HIS HAT-TICK! Once again it's a perfectly-placed effort from outside the box, and this time Messi started the move too.

He picks up the ball in midfield, charges at the backpedalling defence then as Alvarez drags the centre-back away with a clever run, Messi pokes the ball the other way to Gonzalez.

The sub pulls the ball back to (or behind) his captain and after Messi controls it there's only one thing on his mind - he curls the ball into the bottom corner, leaving Zidane with no chance.

Argentina pour forwards after the hydration break and feed Messi on the right, before he's pushed over from behind by Ait-Nouri.

The players immediately appeal to the referee but Marciniak is unmoved, that's a tough one to call.

They're really just looking to reward their fans and keep the goal difference down now one suspects, but it was a threatening speculative effort from Aouar to get his team onto the front foot.

However, he hasn't counted on the hydration break which stops the Algerian momentum dead in its tracks.

Argentina slip a through ball to Messi who shows a rare turn of pace to leave the defense chasing shadows.

The whole stadium is waiting for him to finish his first World Cup hat-trick but as Messi attempts to smash the ball through Zidane, he responds with an acrobatic save to deny history.

Petkovic has finally rolled the dice, though you suspect it's now too little, too late.

Mahrez is on but replaces Hadj Moussa rather than playing alongside him while Mohamed Amoura and Houssem Aouar replace Boudaoui and Gouiri, who's had a quiet night!

Messi has his brace! And it's a goal that showcases all that's brilliant about the mini magician even at 38 years of age.

He expertly cushioned a long ball, then led Gonzalez in behind with a superbly weighted pass. The sub ran himself up a blind alley somewhat so pulled the ball back to Mac Allister 35 yards about and the Liverpool star fired in a swirling effort that Zidane could only parry out.

And of course Messi was the quickest to react, popping up to poke the ball home off his weaker foot, his 15th World Cup goal.

De Paul once again breaks up the right and swings the ball in for Gonzalez who's steaming into the left-hand side of the box.

It looked like he was going to get there too, but Mandi stretched out his leg and just about deflected the ball behind.

Julian Alvarez will have 35 minutes to press his case for a starting berth next time out, as he replaces Lautaro Martinez.

And Nico Gonzalez is on for Almada.

He surges into the box and only has Zidane to beat, opting to rifle a shot across goal that the goalie can only reach at full stretch.

Zidane had no choice put to parry the ball back into the danger area but thankfully for him, it falls to a green shirt.

Ait-Nouri turn the ball over and Argentina almost make them play, flowing forward through Martinez, then De Paul.

However, the midfielder picks the wrong option as he cuts into the box, pulling the ball back where it's hoovered up by Algeria.

He drove through midfield and wasn't far from breaking the defence, just pickpocketed at the last moment. Maza looks a bit miffed not to win a free-kick but the centre-back got the ball.