Argentina and Algeria lament disallowed goals from Messi and Chaibi early in match

Argentina and Algeria both saw potential early goals disallowed for offside in the opening minutes of their 2026 World Cup Group J match at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. The disallowed goals prevented either side from gaining an early advantage in a crucial group stage encounter.

In the 4th minute, Lionel Messi appeared to have opened the scoring for Argentina. He received the ball and finished with his left foot inside the penalty area. However, the linesman's flag was raised, and the goal was subsequently ruled out for offside. The decision denied Argentina an immediate lead and added an early moment of tension to the match.

Just three minutes later, Algeria faced a similar fate. Fares Chaibi found the back of the net, but like Messi, he was deemed to be in an offside position when the play developed. The Algerian goal was also disallowed, mirroring the situation at the other end of the field and keeping the score level. These early disallowed goals highlighted the tight margins and the critical role of VAR in modern football, ensuring that play remains fair but also creating moments of frustration for attacking teams.