'If it was another player…' — Fans furious as Messi escapes red card during hat-trick masterclass vs Algeria

Argentina launched their 2026 World Cup title defense with a commanding 3-1 victory over Algeria in a high-stakes Group J opener.

Lionel Messi delivered a masterclass with a hat-trick, his first goal a clinical finish in the 28th minute after a slick team move, the second a trademark curled effort from the edge of the box just before halftime, and the third a composed penalty in the 67th minute to seal the win.

Algeria showed real fight, pulling one back through a well-taken strike in the second half and having what looked like a legitimate equalizer chalked off by VAR for a marginal offside call early on.

The defending champions controlled large spells of possession and created numerous chances, looking sharp and motivated under the spotlight of their title defense. Yet the entire evening was poisoned by a reckless first-half challenge from Messi that has dominated every conversation since the final whistle.

The flashpoint came in the 37th minute when Messi lunged into a high, studs-up tackle on Algeria's Aïssa Mandi — a studs-up, high lunge from behind that left the Desert Foxes defender in clear pain on the turf, the stadium in momentary shock, and social media in absolute meltdown over what the vast majority called a blatant straight red card.

VAR reviewed the incident at length but bizarrely decided no further action was needed. Messi stayed on the pitch, went on to complete his hat-trick, and delivered what would have been a fairy-tale night, except the football world is now screaming about double standards and ruined integrity.

Here’s the firestorm unfolding on X:

The backlash shows no sign of dying down, with clips of the Mandi incident dominating discussions.

On the pitch, this was everything Argentina could have asked for: a controlled, clinical performance that sends a strong message to the rest of the tournament.

Messi’s milestone hat-trick sees him match Miroslav Klose’s all-time record with 16 career World Cup goals and caps a near-perfect individual display in his sixth tournament.

What should have been unbridled celebration of a statement win and a record-breaking night for their captain has instead been hijacked by the refereeing controversy.

The football world is now split between praising Messi’s magic and questioning the integrity of the decision that allowed it to unfold.