Argentina vs Algeria LIVE: Lionel Messi starts as reigning champions get World Cup campaign underway

Argentina’s head coach Lionel Scaloni knows how to win a World Cup having led the team to victory in 2022.

In that tournament, Argentina lost their opening match 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in a surprise result.

As such Scaloni says he is calm about his team’s opening match this evening.

“Calm because it’s just a game of football,” he said of his team’s frame of mind.

“We have the experience of the last World Cup. The first game is not fundamental. It’s important, but it doesn’t end with the first game.

“We are good, we are calm. We are facing a good team with good players. But we are calm, we are arriving at a good moment.”

As we approach to start of Argentina’s World Cup campaign here’s a look at the state England are in and whether it is feasible that they can actually win the tournament.

The Independent’s Chief Football Writer, Miguel Delaney, breaks it all down here:

Algeria XI: Zidane; Mandi, Ait-Nouri, Belghali, Bensebani; Chaibi, Boudaoui, Bentaleb, Maza; Gouiri, Hadj Moussa

Not only does he head his country’s World Cup appearance table, but Leo Messi has more outings in the competition than any other player of any nationality.

Messi has 26 World Cup appearances across five tournaments: Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.

He will also appear in a record-breaking sixth World Cup when taking to the field against Algeria.

Argentina XI: Martinez; Montiel, Li. Martinez, Romero, Medina; De Paul, Mac Allister, Fernandez; Messi, Almada, La. Martinez

Algeria are back in the World Cup for the first time in 12 years.

They sealed their return to the global showpiece by finishing top of Group G in CAF qualifying, winning eight of their 10 games.

Mohamed Amoura outscored everyone else in the continent with 10 goals through qualifying and will hope to continue that form in this tournament.

Ibrahim Maza, Bayer Leverkusen

20-year-old Maza impressed at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and could be set for a career-making performance at this World Cup.

An attacking midfielder for Leverkusen, he has been compared to Florian Wirtz, and his maturity and intelligence on and off the ball, plus his physical prowess – particularly in withstanding challenges – make him a major talent to watch.

Star player – Riyadh Mahrez, Al-Ahli: At 35 former Manchester City star Mahrez may not be quite in his prime – he no longer plays for the full 90 – but he remains a key force in this side.

The team captain has more than 100 international caps and is an experienced presence in the heart of the team, a role model for the youngsters coming through, as well as a playmaker still capable of moments of magic.

Now playing for Saudi side Al-Ahli he scored four goals and registered eight assists in 27 matches this season.

Algeria arrive in the US having enjoyed a confidence boost at the Africa Cup of Nations, where they reached the quarter-finals, and qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 2014 as winners of CAF Group G.

They reached the round of 16 in their last appearance at the tournament so are certainly a dark horse to look out for in this group, but their build-up to the tournament has been patchy – a friendly win over the Netherlands was a great warm-up, but their qualifying was straightforward, with the likes of Guinea and Mozambique not hugely threatening.

Vladimir Petkovic has been known to experiment with different formations, with the hallmark of each being an intense press and fluid style of play, dominating possession, so it will be intriguing to see how they come up against similarly high-pressing sides like Austria, and how they cope against Jordan’s counter-attackers.

The 18-year-old winger has become a force to be reckoned with at the Spanish giants, becoming their youngest player to appear in the Champions League, and has matched that for his national side, becoming the youngest player to ever feature for the senior squad aged 17 years, 9 months and 22 days in 2025.