The 38-year-old produced a masterclass on a historic night, becoming the joint-highest goalscorer in World Cup history with 16 goals, drawing level with German legend Miroslav Klose. Messi had already made history before kick-off, becoming the first player ever to feature in six World Cup tournaments as he led Argentina out for his 200th international appearance. The Argentine captain then took centre stage with the first World Cup hat-trick of his illustrious career. His opening goal came in the 17th minute, a trademark curling effort that moved him onto 14 World Cup goals, level with Germany’s Gerd Müller and France star Kylian Mbappé. He added a second just after the hour mark, reacting quickest to a rebound from Alexis Mac Allister’s shot to move onto 15 goals and join Brazilian icon Ronaldo in the all-time standings. Messi completed his memorable treble in the 76th minute with a composed low finish from the edge of the area, taking his tally to 16 World Cup goals and matching Klose’s long-standing record. Four minutes later, he left the field to a standing ovation from the 69,045 fans inside Arrowhead Stadium. Argentina, who defeated France on penalties in the unforgettable 2022 World Cup final in Doha, made an emphatic start to their title defence and underlined their credentials as contenders for back-to-back crowns. Elsewhere, France opened their campaign with a 3-1 victory over Senegal, powered by a brace from Mbappé. The French captain also became his country's all-time leading scorer with 58 goals, surpassing Olivier Giroud. “There are still people out there who will criticise him, but he is an extraordinary player,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “Not everything came off for him, but he can win games in one moment.” Norway also enjoyed a winning start as Erling Haaland scored twice in a 4-1 triumph over Iraq. Making his World Cup debut, the Manchester City striker took his international tally to 57 goals in just 51 appearances. Argentina's dominant victory, however, belonged to Messi, whose brilliance once again illuminated football’s biggest stage and brought him level with the greatest goalscoring record in World Cup history.