As Argentina prepares to face Algeria in their World Cup opener on June 16 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, memories of their shocking 2022 loss to Saudi Arabia linger. However, the team's remarkable journey led to their first World Cup title in Messi's illustrious career, and now they seek to become the first team since 1962 to win consecutive titles.

Lionel Messi, at 38, is a pivotal figure, despite having only played 20 minutes since suffering a muscular overload against the Philadelphia Union. While Argentina is favored to win, coach Lionel Scaloni may opt to ease Messi back into action.

On the other hand, Algeria has settled well in Kansas City, engaging with local communities and showcasing their strong team spirit, led by Riyad Mahrez. Though they face an uphill battle, the potential for an upset remains.

How to Watch

• Date: Tuesday, June 16
• Time: 9 p.m. ET
• Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
• TV: FOX (English), Telemundo (Spanish)
• Live Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
• Odds: Argentina -250; Draw +350; Algeria +700

Predicted Lineups

Argentina: Emiliano Martínez, Facundo Medina, Nicolás Otamendi, Cristian Romero, Nahuel Molina, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández, Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez, Thiago Almada
Algeria: Luca Zidane, Rayan Ait Nouri, Ramy Bensebaini, Aissa Mandi, Achref Abada, Nabil Bentaleb, Hachim Boudaoui, Mohamed Amoura, Houssem Aouar, Riyad Mahrez, Amine Gouiri

Prediction

Even without Messi, Argentina boasts a solid defense, thanks to Scaloni’s effective system. The expected outcome is Argentina 2, Algeria 0.