Argentina's 2026 home kit debuts with a Messi hat-trick against Algeria

Lionel Messi, 38 years old and playing at his sixth World Cup, scored a hat-trick in Argentina's opening Group A match against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. The final score was 3-0. It was, in every sense, a fitting first appearance for Argentina's new adidas shirt.

The match

Argentina dominated from the start. In the 17th minute Rodrigo De Paul split the Algerian defence with a pass through the centre and Messi, one on one with goalkeeper Luca Zidane, finished low to put the ball past the fingertips of the keeper and into the net.

Algeria were not without chances. Farès Chaïbi had a goal ruled out for offside early on, and Feyenoord winger Anis Hadj Moussa caused problems on the right throughout the first half. But the North African side could not find the decisive final ball.

The second goal came in the 60th minute. Alexis MacAllister struck a shot that Zidane should have held, and Messi was on hand to convert the rebound. The third followed before Messi was substituted ten minutes from time to a standing ovation from the packed stadium.

The 3-0 win took Messi's World Cup goals total to 16, level with Miroslav Klose at the top of the all-time list. It was his 27th World Cup appearance. His total record for Argentina now stands at 120 goals in 200 caps. The hat-trick was his first in World Cup competition.

The shirt

Argentina took to the field in their new adidas home kit, which carries the club's famous white and sky blue vertical stripes in an updated form. Each blue stripe uses a two-tone gradient, shifting between lighter and darker shades of blue across the width of the stripe. adidas designed the fade as a reference to the shirts Argentina wore during their three World Cup victories: 1978, 1986, and 2022. The Three Stripes on the shoulders and the sleeve cuffs are navy.

At the Arrowhead Stadium, packed with Argentinian supporters in blue and white, the shirt was visible across every section of the stands long before kick-off.