Erling Haaland stole the headlines earlier in the day with a dream FIFA World Cup debut, but by the end of the night, even the Norwegian superstar was left applauding Lionel Messi. The Manchester City striker reacted to Messi's historic performance against Algeria with a blunt but telling message that quickly spread across social media.
Haaland Shines on World Cup Debut
Before Messi took centre stage, it was Haaland who was making headlines. Norway began their World Cup campaign with an impressive 4-1 victory over Iraq, and the prolific striker wasted little time announcing himself on football's biggest stage. Haaland scored twice, finding the net in the 29th and 43rd minutes to help guide his team to all three points, according to HITC. The brace marked a dream start to his World Cup journey and reinforced his reputation as one of the most dangerous forwards in world football. For most players, two goals on a World Cup debut would dominate the football conversation for days. However, events later that evening ensured the spotlight shifted elsewhere.
Messi Delivers Another Historic Night
Argentina's clash with Algeria was expected to be one of the standout fixtures of the opening round, and Messi ensured it lived up to expectations. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner opened the scoring with a trademark curling effort before adding two more goals to complete a memorable hat-trick. His second came after capitalising on a goalkeeping mistake, while his third was a stunning strike from the edge of the penalty area that left fans on their feet. According to BBC Sport, the treble carried huge significance beyond the result itself as Messi's three goals took his World Cup tally to 16, moving him level with former Germany striker Miroslav Klose as the competition's all-time leading scorer. The Argentine legend also became the first player in football history to appear in six different FIFA World Cups. To make the occasion even more special, the match marked his 200th appearance for Argentina.
Haaland Describes Messi as a Madman
Like millions of football fans around the world, Haaland was clearly impressed by what he saw. While watching the game, the Norwegian striker posted a message on Snapchat that immediately grabbed attention: "Messi is a madman ?." The comment may have been brief, but it spoke volumes. Coming from one of the most feared goalscorers of his generation, the remark highlighted the respect Messi continues to command across the football world. Haaland had every reason to celebrate his own achievements after scoring twice on his World Cup debut. Yet even he acknowledged that Messi's record-equalling display was the defining story of the day.
FIFA Hails Messi After Historic Performance
In a related development, FIFA wasted little time acknowledging Messi's latest masterpiece after his historic performance against Algeria. Taking to X, the world football governing body posted "Classic Messi" in honour of the Argentina captain after his World Cup hat-trick against the North African side.
