Messi’s legend rises in sixth World Cup

Lionel Messi is still the world’s finest footballer, despite turning 39 next week and being written off many times in recent years.

Mere hours after France’s Kylian Mbappe and Norway’s Erling Haaland had lit up the World Cup with two goals each, Messi confirmed his status as this generation’s most influential player with a stunning hat-trick, his first.

Apart from the hat-trick, the Messi show included a record-equalling 16th World Cup goal, and another reminder that despite his age, he is still a force and Argentina are going to be difficult to remove as world champs.

Argentina beat Algeria 3-0 in Kansas City and Messi was at the centre of it all as he became the first player in history to feature at six World Cups - beating Portuguese rival Cristiano Ronaldo by a day.

Twenty years ago to the day after his World Cup debut as an 18-year-old at Germany 2006, he looked as sharp as ever on his 200th international appearance.

Afterwards, he said: “To enjoy this with my family, with my team-mates, the ones who are always there, is a really beautiful moment. The squad, it’s a very united, very strong group. I feel good; we were lucky enough to win a tough match. It’s important to start off with a win in the first game.”

France and Spain are the outstanding tournament favourites but Argentina led by Messi look formidable.

Mbappe’s brace came in France’s 3-1 victory over Senegal.

The Real Madrid forward has become France’s all-time record scorer, overtaking Olivier Giroud with his 58th goal for Les Bleus, aged just 27.

“Congratulations Kylian,” Giroud said. “I’m happy for him.

“It makes sense, it was expected. He will beat every single record - the number of caps and goals. I think he can easily reach 100 goals and maybe beat Miroslav Klose’s World Cup record. He’s delivered great performances in World Cups and big games.”

Mbappe’s 58 strikes came in just 99 games for France. Tuesday’s goals also put him on 14 in World Cups - just two behind Germany’s Klose, who holds the record with 16.

Haaland makes a habit of scoring on debuts in major tournaments and this was no different. His two goals came in a 4-1 win over Iraq.

In the first week of this tournament Cayman Islands followers of the beautiful game have been treated to some amazing matches and the biggest surprise so far was seeing Spain, one of the outstanding favourites being held to a 0-0 draw with Cape Verde.

When the final whistle rang out around the Atlanta Stadium, the cameras cut to Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha.

Tears streamed down the 40-year-old’s face as the magnitude of what he had just achieved sank in, after his side held Spain.

Elsewhere, Sweden thrashed minnows Tunisia 5-1 and Germany demolished Curacao 7-1. Curacao, with a population of only 156,000 are the smallest nation to ever reach the World Cup finals. Plucky and gritty they were but the Germans were just too good. Brazil could only manage a 1-1 draw in their opener with Morocco thanks to a marvellous effort by Vinicius Jr, so the pressure will be on them for a massive win against Haiti on Saturday.

The USA  couldn’t have asked for a better start to their campaign. Their 4-1 defeat of Paraguay on Friday put them on top of a highly competitive Group D. Folarin Balogun was the USA hero with a brace. Balogun was born in New York and plays for the US through birth right citizenship. His mother had been visiting family there and was too far along in her pregnancy to return to London when she’d planned. Though he grew up in London, he chose to represent the USA over England and Nigeria, where his parents are originally from.