After a disappointing Monday with all four matches ending in draws, Tuesday was the day when World Cup 2026 finally exploded, featuring four thrashings as France beat Senegal 3-1, Norway beat Iraq 4-1, Argentina beat Algeria 3-0, and Austria beat Jordan 3-1. It was also the day when the stars shone: Mbappé scored two, Haaland scored two... and then Leo Messi scored three against Algeria.
Messi's historic performance, his first hat-trick at a World Cup and the oldest player ever at 38 years old, turning 39 in seven days - taking that record from Cristiano Ronaldo - also means he is now the tied all-time World Cup goal-scorer in history, 16 goals in six World Cups participations, equalling the goals scored by Germany's Miroslav Klose.
<social>https://x.com/adjorNfriends/status/2067077101988036918</social>
Messi scored three times past Luca Zidane, Algeria's coach and Zinedine Zidane's son, but the match had a big controversy in the 30th minute, when Messi had scored one goal, and he stood on Aissa Mandi's calf. Many people are arguing that it should have been a red card, but neither referee Szymon Marciniak nor VAR intervened.
The contact is clear, but pundit Thierry Henry on Fox Sports said that it was not a red card because there is no intent. "When you watch it again, you can clearly see that Lionel Messi is focused on the ball and trying to make a football action, not trying to hurt anyone. Yes, there is contact. Yes, it looks awkward. But not every collision is a red card."
What do you think? Should Messi have been given a red card for this action against Mandi?