History favours Messi, Argentina for World Cup triumph

History appears to be aligning with Lionel Messi and Argentina's quest for another World Cup title, as the reigning champions began their defense with a June 16 fixture. This date has preceded the eventual triumph of the tournament winner in three of the last four editions.

Argentina commenced their Group J campaign with a dominant 3-0 victory over Algeria on June 16, a match where Messi delivered a historic performance. He scored all three goals, marking his first World Cup hat-trick. This achievement not only saw him become the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the tournament's history but also drew him level with Germany's Miroslav Klose at 16 World Cup goals, the joint all-time record.

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To enjoy this with my family, with my teammates, the ones who are always there, is a really beautiful moment. The squad, it’s a very united, very strong group. I feel good; we were lucky enough to win a tough match. It’s important to start off with a win in the first game.

The trend began in 2010 when Spain opened their campaign on June 16 and went on to win. Germany repeated this feat in 2014, and France did so in 2018. While the 2022 Qatar World Cup broke the sequence due to its winter schedule, the pattern has re-emerged with Argentina's opening match.

Messi expressed his joy after the match, highlighting the importance of the win for the united and strong group. "To enjoy this with my family, with my teammates, the ones who are always there, is a really beautiful moment," he said. Head coach Lionel Scaloni lauded Messi's enduring impact, stating, "For 20 years, he’s had us used to seeing things like this and he inspires everyone who watches him play." Argentina, already considered favorites by many, have further solidified their chances with this opening performance.

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I don’t have the words to describe Messi. For 20 years, he’s had us used to seeing things like this and he inspires everyone who watches him play.