Argentina v Algeria, 16 June 2026
| Score | 3-0 to Argentina |
| Referee | Szymon Marciniak |
| Competition | FIFA World Cup Group J |
| Venue | Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City MO |
| Attendance | 69,045 |
View Argentina v Algeria head to head
Kick-off: 8.00pm local
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FIFA World Ranking: Argentina 1st, Algeria 28th
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The only previous meeting was an international friendly played in Barcelona, Spain in June 2007. Lionel Messi scored two goals in Argentina’s 4-3 win.
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Having been in charge of the FIFA World Cup Final between Argentina and France in the 2022 tournament, Szymon Marciniak had now become the first referee in the same nation’s consecutive games at the FIFA World Cup finals since Ivan Eklind in June 1934 in Sweden: Italy’s Semi-final versus Austria followed by the Final against Czechoslovakia.
3
Argentina
Manager: Lionel Scaloni
Goals:
| Lionel Messi | 17 |
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| Lionel Messi | 60 |
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| Lionel Messi | 76 |
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Starting lineup:
Goalkeeper
Emiliano Martínez
Defender
Lisandro Martínez
Defender
Facundo Medina
Defender
Gonzalo Montiel
Defender
Cristian Romero
Midfielder
Thiago Almada
Midfielder
Rodrigo De Paul
Midfielder
Enzo Fernández
Midfielder
Alexis Mac Allister
Midfielder/Forward
Lionel Messi
(captain)
Forward
Lautaro Martínez
Substitutions:
| Nahuel Molina for Gonzalo Montiel | 46 |
| Julián Alvarez for Lautaro Martínez | 55 |
| Nico González for Thiago Almada | 55 |
| Nicolás Otamendi for Cristian Romero | 79 |
| Nico Paz for Lionel Messi | 79 |
On the bench:
Goalkeeper
Juan Musso
Goalkeeper
Gerónimo Rulli
Defender
Nicolás Otamendi
Defender
Marcos Senesi
Defender
Nicolás Tagliafico
Defender/Midfielder
Valentín Barco
Defender/Midfielder
Nico González
Defender/Midfielder
Nahuel Molina
Midfielder
Giovani Lo Celso
Midfielder
Exequiel Palacios
Midfielder
Leandro Paredes
Midfielder
Nico Paz
Midfielder/Forward
Julián Alvarez
Forward
José Manuel López
Forward
Giuliano Simeone
Comments:
In becoming the first-ever player to appear at six FIFA World Cup tournaments, Lionel Messi had now equalled the all-time competition record for the most goals scored at the FIFA World Cup finals: also 16 by Germany's Miroslav Klose. . Aged 38 years and 357 days, Lionel Messi had now become the oldest-ever player to score a hat-trick in a game at a FIFA World Cup tournament: previously Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal against Spain in Sochi, Russia on 15 June 2018 (33 years and 130 days). . Lionel Messi had now become the third player to appear in 200 or more ‘A’ internationals: also Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal (228) and Kuwait’s Bader Al Mutawa (202). . Lionel Messi scored in the 5th minute but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review due to an offside decision.
0
Algeria
Manager: Vladimir Petkovic
Goals:
Starting lineup:
Luca Zidane
Goalkeeper
Ramy Bensebaini
Defender
Aïssa Mandi
Defender
(captain)
Rayan Aït Nouri
Defender/Midfielder
Rafik Belghali
Defender/Midfielder
Nabil Bentaleb
Midfielder
Hichem Boudaoui
Midfielder
Farès Chaïbi
Midfielder
Anis Hadj Moussa
Midfielder/Forward
Ibrahim Maza
Midfielder/Forward
Amine Gouiri
Forward
Substitutions:
| Mohamed Amoura for Amine Gouiri | 64 |
| Houssem Aouar for Hichem Boudaoui | 64 |
| Riyad Mahrez for Anis Hadj Moussa | 64 |
| Adil Boulbina for Ibrahim Maza | 82 |
| Ramiz Zerrouki for Nabil Bentaleb | 82 |
On the bench:
Goalkeeper
Oussama Benbout
Goalkeeper
Melvin Mastil
Defender
Achref Abada
Defender
Zineddine Belaid
Defender
Samir Chergui
Defender
Jaouen Hadjam
Defender
Mohamed Tougai
Midfielder
Mohamed Amoura
Midfielder
Houssem Aouar
Midfielder
Adil Boulbina
Midfielder
Yacine Titraoui
Midfielder
Ramiz Zerrouki
Midfielder/Forward
Farès Ghedjemis
Midfielder/Forward
Riyad Mahrez
Forward
Nadhir Benbouali