Lionel Messi scored a historic World Cup hat-trick as Argentina defeated Algeria, Erling Haaland netted twice on his World Cup debut for Norway, and France came from behind to beat Senegal 3-1 in FIFA World Cup 2026 action.

France Overcome Senegal to Reach Next Round with Mbappé Masterclass

France came from a difficult first half to defeat Senegal 3–1 in an entertaining FIFA World Cup encounter, avenging one of the most famous upsets in World Cup history.

Senegal, who stunned Les Bleus with a 1–0 victory in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup, once again looked capable of causing another shock. The Lions of Teranga frustrated France before the break, restricting Didier Deschamps’ side to just three touches inside the Senegal penalty area. Despite boasting an attacking quartet of Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué and Michael Olise, France struggled to create clear opportunities.

The momentum shifted dramatically after the interval. France emerged with renewed intensity, with Doué firing narrowly wide before Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy denied both Olise and Mbappé in one-on-one situations.

However, Mendy could do little to stop Mbappé, who finally broke the deadlock. The 27-year-old’s strike was his 14th World Cup goal, drawing him level with German legend Gerd Müller on the tournament’s all-time scoring list.

Senegal briefly thought they had found an equaliser through Nicolas Jackson, but his effort was ruled out for offside. Bradley Barcola then doubled France’s advantage with a composed finish to put the match beyond Senegal’s reach.

Teenage sensation Mbaye, aged just 18, pulled one back with a stunning strike from a tight angle, becoming the youngest African goalscorer in World Cup history. Any hopes of a Senegal comeback were quickly extinguished, however, as Mbappé sealed France’s 3–1 victory with a superb long-range effort from 25 yards.

The win underlined France’s ability to recover from a sluggish start and reaffirmed their status as one of the favourites for the World Cup title.

Haaland’s Double Powers Norway to Winning Start Against Iraq

Erling Haaland marked his FIFA World Cup debut in style by scoring twice as Norway defeated Iraq 4-1 in their opening Group I encounter at Boston Stadium, ending the nation’s 28-year absence from the tournament with an impressive victory.

Iraq, appearing in their first World Cup in 40 years, matched Norway for much of the opening half before Haaland broke the deadlock shortly after the first-half hydration break, sliding home David Moller Wolfe’s low cross. The Asian side responded brilliantly when Aymen Hussein headed in Amir Al-Ammari’s cross to level the scores in the 39th minute.

However, Norway regained the lead just four minutes later after Haaland capitalised on a costly error by veteran goalkeeper Jalal Hassan, charging down his clearance to score his second goal of the match. Iraq continued to threaten before the break but were unable to find another equaliser.

Norway sealed the contest in the second half when substitute Leo Ostigard headed in Martin Odegaard’s corner before Hussein inadvertently turned Haaland’s looping header into his own net during stoppage time.

The match also saw Manchester-born Zidan Iqbal become the first player of Pakistani heritage to feature in a men’s FIFA World Cup after coming on as a substitute for Iraq.

The victory marked Norway’s successful return to the World Cup, while Iraq’s search for their first-ever point in the competition continues.

Messi’s Historic Hat-trick Powers Argentina to Emphatic World Cup Victory Over Algeria

Kansas City: Lionel Messi produced yet another masterclass as reigning champions Argentina launched their FIFA World Cup title defence with a commanding victory over Algeria, inspired by a sensational hat-trick from the Argentine captain.

Making his landmark 200th appearance for Argentina, Messi became the joint-highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history, taking his tally to 16 goals and drawing level with Germany legend Miroslav Klose. The remarkable performance also saw the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner become the oldest player ever to score a World Cup hat-trick, eclipsing the record previously held by his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

Just a week before his 39th birthday, Messi demonstrated that age is merely a number with a dazzling display that underlined his determination to lead Argentina to a fourth World Cup crown. Questions over why the legendary forward chose to continue his international career after lifting the trophy in Qatar in 2022 were emphatically answered as he rolled back the years with a vintage performance.

Argentina, aiming to become only the third nation to successfully defend the World Cup, were made to work hard by a spirited Algerian side at Kansas City Stadium. However, Messi’s brilliance ultimately proved the difference.

The breakthrough arrived in the 17th minute when Messi collected a pass from his Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul before curling a sublime effort beyond Algerian goalkeeper Luca Zidane, son of French football icon Zinedine Zidane.

The opening exchanges had been frantic, with both sides seeing goals disallowed within the first fifteen minutes. Messi himself had an earlier strike ruled out, while Algeria also had an effort chalked off shortly afterwards.

On the night he became the first footballer to feature in six FIFA World Cups, Messi also escaped punishment for a robust challenge on Algeria defender Aissa Mandi midway through the first half.

Argentina doubled their advantage on the hour mark after Zidane failed to deal with a routine situation, allowing Messi to pounce from close range. The captain then completed his first-ever World Cup hat-trick in the 76th minute, powering an unstoppable strike into the net from the edge of the penalty area after winning possession from Nicolas González.

The victory also marked a significant milestone for Argentina, who won their opening match as defending World Cup champions for the first time, having previously suffered defeats in their opening fixtures in both 1982 and 1990.

With three points secured in Group J, Argentina have made a perfect start to their title defence. They will now turn their attention to upcoming group-stage encounters against Austria and Jordan, with all eyes once again set to be on Messi as he bids to become the outright leading goalscorer in World Cup history.