After Argentina captain Lionel Messi scored hat-trick in 3-0 win over Algeria in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener, Algeria head coach Vladimir Petkovic said, "We made it easier for him to score." He added, "We're not talking about any old player...we're talking about [someone] who has won Ballon d'Or seven..[or]...eight times." Messi has now scored 16 World Cup goals.