Goal machines Messi, Haaland and Mbappé give their teams perfect starts

Superstars shone in Tuesday’s World Cup matches, with soccer greats Lionel Messi of Argentina, Norway’s Erling Haaland and Frenchman Kylian Mbappé scoring for fun.

From Messi’s hat-trick against Algeria, Haaland’s double versus Iraq and Mbappe’s brace against Senegal, Tuesday’s matches offered some succour to those backing the favourites.

These were not obvious developments.

Messi is in the twilight of his career after moving to Major League Soccer in 2023, Haaland lost form in the middle of the Premier League season, and Mbappé suffered a dip in the second half of his La Liga campaign.

None of that applied on Tuesday, with all three players taking their chances to find the net.

Mbappé saved France from a subpar performance with his second-half strikes against Senegal, who were often the more dynamic before his first goal in the last third of the match.

His second, which hurtled into the net, made him France’s all-time top scorer with 58, surpassing Olivier Giroud, as his side claimed a 3-1 win.

Haaland, a dominant presence in English football who had struggled to score in the middle of the season, showed his predatory instincts to help his team to a 4-1 victory.

But in the day’s penultimate match it was Messi who showed why he is considered by many to be the best player on the planet.

Despite being past his peak, with his 39th birthday coming up, he scored his first World Cup hat-trick in a 3-0 win.

Messi is now level with World Cup record scorer Miroslav Klose on 16 goals. His first at a World Cup was scored on this date 20 years ago, when he was 18.

On Wednesday, more scoring machines are set to take to the pitch, with England’s Harry Kane and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo fronting their nations’ efforts to start the tournament with a win.

Not surprised

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said he is no longer surprised by the “inexplicable” feats by Messi.

Earning his 200th cap, the 38-year-old became the first man to compete in six World Cups and the oldest to score a hat-trick in the tournament’s history.

While the victory was a boost to Argentina’s hopes of successfully defending their title, Scaloni said there was no room for complacency.

“This team knows that anyone can beat us,” Scaloni said. “If you get a little overconfident, any opponent can win.

“In this World Cup, strange and difficult things are happening. If we do things right it will be hard to beat us.”

Scaloni attributed the victory to the squad’s chemistry, noting that the bond between teammates is what pulls them through when things become difficult.

The result means Argentina have avoided the opening-match stumbles of their 2018 and 2022 campaigns and they now turn their attention to their next match against Austria in Arlington, Texas on 22 June.

“There is a long way to go to try to reach the end,” Scaloni said. “But it is always good to start by winning; that undoubtedly strengthens everything.”

Messi had the crowd celebrating what they thought was a dream start with a goal in the opening five minutes, but it was chalked off for offside.

So it felt inevitable that it was the star forward who would rise to the moment for the raucous sea of sky-blue and white, with what seemed like every fan in the stands wearing a shirt bearing his name as he gave them another moment of magic.

Messi netted his first in the 17th minute when he collected a brilliant through-ball from Rodrigo De Paul, who slipped a perfectly weighted pass between Algeria’s back line.

Messi drove forward before unleashing a rocket from about 25 yards out that glanced off the fingertips of goalkeeper Luca Zidane – son of France great Zinedine Zidane, who was in the crowd – and into the top-right corner.

He struck his second in the 60th minute when Alexis Mac Allister fired a low drive from 20m that Zidane fumbled badly, the ball spilling awkwardly off his chest and dropping invitingly for Messi, who guided it into the net.

“There are no words to describe it,” Mac Allister said of Messi’s enduring brilliance. “I think if anyone thought this team was better without Leo, today it became clear that Leo is the most important player of all. And that we have to build a team around him, where he feels comfortable.”

Messi almost completed his hat-trick about five minutes later, but Zidane leapt to push his shot over the bar, yet he did find the net again in the 76th minute with another blistering strike, teed up by substitute Nico Gonzalez.

Mbappé magic

Mbappé bagged an explosive second-half brace and by adding his 13th and 14th career World Cup goals, he moved past Pelé and is within two of equalling Miroslav Klose, and now Messi, for the all-time tournament record.

If a reminder was needed, Tuesday showed the world Mbappé remains its most explosive player as he attempts to help his country reach a third straight World Cup final.

“Kylian was very efficient. Ruthlessly efficient,” France manager Didier Deschamps said of his captain through an interpreter. “He’s an iconic player. I’ve always said that. He can from time to time miss a game or two, but on one action, he really is able to tip the scales.”

Not to say the 27-year-old was a one-man show. Michael Olise’s inspired play early in the second half – and Deschamps’s decision to play him more centrally – might have even been more critical to Les Bleus’s victory.

But after looking adrift from his teammates at times before the break, Mbappé’s second half reassured the world that he remains a supernatural force for his country, even if his club existence in Madrid has become fraught of late.

“People say he doesn’t defend enough. Well, he’s not here to defend,” Deschamps said. “He does a lot for the group. On the outside, you can think he’s selfish. Well, that’s your opinion. I’m very happy for him.”

Mbappé added: “It’s no relief. If I start to think about all people who criticise me all the time, I’ll never stop. No, I play for my country, I play for my team to go all the way to the finals, and the rest is just part of my character.” Reuters/DM