Argentina launched their World Cup defense against Algeria in Kansas City on Tuesday night.

Three and a half years after Lionel Messi led Argentina to their third World Cup triumph in Qatar, the South American team began their journey in the 2026 tournament as the top-seeded favorites in Group J.

Lionel Scaloni’s men topped South American qualifying with an impressive record of 12 wins from 18 games and also secured victory in the 2024 Copa America. In contrast, Algeria qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 2014, emerging as winners of CAF Group G.

Algeria, under the guidance of Vladimir Petkovic, reached the quarter-finals at last year’s Afcon and are remembered for their round of 16 performance in their last World Cup appearance, making them a notable dark horse in this group.

With both teams eager to make their mark, the match promised excitement and high stakes as Argentina aimed to showcase their championship pedigree.