De Paul’s – Rodrigo De Paul set up Lionel Messi’s opening goal as Argentina opened its 2026 World Cup title defense with a 3-0 win over Algeria on June 16, tying Messi to the all-time World Cup scoring record.
Arrowhead Stadium didn’t wait for the hype to settle. In the 17th minute. Rodrigo De Paul received the ball at the halfway line. sliced a pass between four Algerian players. and watched as Lionel Messi turned. dribbled. and finished with a shot that beat Luca Zidane’s fingertips and hit the corner of the net.
By the time Messi collected his third goal, the match felt historic in real time. Argentina won 3-0 against Algeria in the opening game of the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday, June 16. Messi scored a hat trick that helped him tie the all-time goal scoring record in World Cup history. turning the stadium into a scene of release—Argentina fans celebrating in Kansas City ahead of their first upcoming match against Algeria.
The sequence had De Paul written into it from the start. Messi’s opening strike came after De Paul’s pass; the goal set off a celebration between the two Inter Miami players. De Paul’s involvement didn’t stop with the assist—he also played the full 90 minutes. carrying out the push his coach asked for moments after the first goal.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni leaned into the moment at the post-goal moment and beyond. “It’s hard to explain. We are amazed with him (Messi) even though we see him on a daily basis,” Scaloni said. He added that Messi. who is 38 years old. “has been the best for 20 years” and still “pulls it off every single match.”.
Scaloni also described a real shift he wanted from De Paul—intensity and focus—and said De Paul delivered it. During the first hydration break, Scaloni spoke to him mere minutes after Messi’s opening goal. “He is very decisive,” Scaloni said. “When he relaxes, we all feel it. I asked him to give a little more. I am happy because I never hesitated to have him play in the game.”.
De Paul responded in the way coaches dream about: decisive enough to matter, disciplined enough to play the whole match. Afterward. he said the thing that stands out most is less about the numbers than about Messi’s state of mind. “He’s an animal,” De Paul told DSports. “What makes me happiest is I feel that he’s enjoying it. that he doesn’t feel that pressure that he had for so long.”.
A milestone like Messi’s doesn’t arrive by accident. and the night also carried a quiet rarity for Major League Soccer. It was the first time. outside of the United States national team. that two MLS players combined for a goal in World Cup history. Five of De Paul’s last seven assists have scored Messi a goal for both club and country since November 2025.
Scaloni’s confidence in De Paul’s move to Inter Miami also carried through the match. When De Paul transferred to Miami, Scaloni said he wasn’t discouraged by leaving Atlético Madrid for the MLS. “When he left for Inter (Miami), we are not interested in the leagues,” Scaloni said. “We care about the growth. He is playing at a very good level, his physicality is very good. When he plays with the people he knows, he plays well.”.
In the stands, MLS commissioner Don Garber watched as Messi made history and De Paul delivered another strong performance. Garber framed it as a direct statement about the league’s global reach. “MLS is a league that represents the rest of the world,” Garber said. “When I watch Argentina play, I might love the way that they play and love that they are world champions. But, Leo Messi and Rodrigo De Paul play for an MLS team in Miami and they are representing our league.”.
That connection—between world-stage football and an MLS roster—also showed up in the way Argentina’s teammates reacted. The night played like a team that could feel itself clicking. The report described teammates playing with smiles on their faces. with De Paul’s early pass serving as the spark in Argentina’s World Cup title defense.
De Paul said the emotional tone in the squad is part of what makes the attack work. “We all know his mentality, and he doesn’t let himself enjoy it much because he’s focused on helping us, the team,” De Paul said. “I think he’s good, happy, and I think that it’s contagious in the group.”
Rodrigo De Paul Lionel Messi Argentina Algeria 2026 World Cup Inter Miami MLS Luca Zidane Arrowhead Stadium Don Garber Lionel Scaloni
Messi hat trick again… man he just won’t stop.
Wait so De Paul’s “pass” is what did it? I mean I’m glad but also the article says 2026 like it already happened?? Either way Argentina fans in Kansas City is kinda wild.
All-time record tied?? I swear they said this same thing years ago with different numbers. Also Luca Zidane?? isn’t that Zinedine’s kid or something. If the goalie touched it with his fingertips but still went in, that’s on defense more than De Paul lol.
Arrowhead Stadium and World Cup is the real combo nobody asked for. People keep saying “intensity and focus” like that’s just motivation but the real thing is Messi is 38 and still scoring, that’s insane. I watched the highlights and it looked like De Paul wasn’t even that close to the goal, but the headline says pass fuels hat trick so I guess I’ll believe it. Also Inter Miami players celebrating with Argentina?? makes me think MLS is secretly in all this somehow.