Argentina aims for victory as Messi shines with hat-trick in title defense

The champions have arrived, and they are not easing themselves into this World Cup.

Argentina, crowned in 2022 and back to defend their title at the FIFA World Cup 2026, step into a top-of-the-table clash with Austria carrying all the weight – and all the confidence – of a side that expects to go deep again. Their opening act set the tone: a 3-0 victory over Algeria, built on a Lionel Messi hat-trick that felt less like a reminder and more like a warning.

One game in, the Albiceleste already look sharp. The passing snapped, the press held, and whenever Algeria left a gap, Messi slipped through it. His three goals not only decided the contest, they stamped his authority on another tournament that could yet define his legacy even further. Argentina’s clean sheet underlined the control. It was routine on the scoreboard, ruthless in execution.

Austria's Challenge

Now comes a different kind of test. Austria are not here to make up the numbers.

They beat Jordan 3-1 in their opener, a result that pushed them into second place in Group J and set up this early summit meeting. It was a performance full of drive and intent, the sort that signals a team willing to trade punches rather than sit in a low block and hope. They scored three, created more, and showed enough balance to suggest they can trouble better sides when the stakes rise.

So the group’s shape is clear already. Argentina sit top, Austria right behind them, and both know that a win in this clash does more than secure three points. It bends the entire group to their will. The loser, if there is one, suddenly feels the breath of the chasing pack.

The Chasing Pack

That chasing pack is desperate.

Jordan and Algeria meet with a different kind of pressure. Both are still hunting their first points of the tournament, both were outclassed in their openers, and both understand what another defeat would mean. For Jordan, the 3-1 loss to Austria exposed defensive gaps they cannot afford to repeat. For Algeria, the 3-0 defeat to Argentina was harsh but revealing; they struggled to live with the speed and precision of the holders.

Their showdown is not about glamour. It is about survival. One result can drag a team back into contention, or leave them staring at an early exit.

France's Performance

While Group J simmers, another heavyweight stirs.

France, two-time World Cup winners and perennial contenders, opened their campaign with a 3-1 win over Senegal. It was not flawless, but it was efficient. They found the goals they needed, controlled key phases, and showed that familiar tournament composure when Senegal tried to rally. The French rarely panic in group stages; this felt like another step in that tradition.

Their next assignment is Iraq, who arrive wounded. A 4-1 defeat to Norway in their first match left scars on the scoreboard and in confidence. Norway’s attacking edge cut them open too often, and Iraq now face a France side that will sense vulnerability and go after it. Any lapse in concentration, any loose touch, and this French team can punish it instantly.

Norway vs Senegal

Norway, buoyed by that emphatic 4-1 win, now take on Senegal. The Africans, beaten 3-1 by France, need a response. They showed flashes of pace and power in their opener, but flashes do not carry you through a World Cup. Norway, already with goals in their boots and three points in the bank, know that another win would put them in a commanding position in their section.

Across these fixtures, a pattern is emerging. The giants – Argentina and France – have started like giants. The ambitious chasers – Austria and Norway – have struck early blows. Behind them, Jordan, Algeria, Iraq, and Senegal fight to stay relevant in tournaments that can move brutally fast.

For Argentina, the question is simple: can they turn Messi’s early fireworks into another march through the group? For Austria, this is a chance to disrupt the script and announce themselves on the biggest stage.

The answers will not come from reputation. They will come from 90 hard minutes, with a World Cup already beginning to take shape.