Lionel Messi, 38, Scored a World Cup Hat Trick and the Whole World Is Still Buzzing About That Missed Call

Man, you guys watching this World Cup? Because if you're not, you are MISSING OUT. Eight days in and it's already delivering some absolutely wild moments. The biggest shocker, hands down, has to be 38-year-old Lionel Messi dropping a hat trick for Argentina. Yeah, you read that right: a hat trick! But here's the kicker, my buddy and I were texting like crazy because everyone's still talking about a potential red card in that first half that somehow wasn't even reviewed! Crazy, right?

Messi's Magic, Argentina's Quest, and That Controversial Moment

Let's just get straight to it: Messi is still magical. Against Algeria, the greatest player of the past 50 years just went off, scoring his first-ever World Cup hat trick! His three goals came in different ways, too, showing he's still got all the moves. Argentina's looking to go back-to-back, winning the World Cup twice in a row, and this was one heck of a start, a 3-0 stomping of Algeria. But everyone's wondering if Messi got away with one. There was a moment in the first half that felt like a definite yellow, maybe even a red, and it just got waved off. Argentina totally controlled the game anyway, but still, a non-review on that? Come on!

England's Dominance and African Teams on the Rise

Across the pond, England is absolutely firing! They just dropped a 4-2 win on Croatia, the team that knocked them out in 2018. Sure, Croatia might not be the same beast they were in 2018 or 2022, but still, that's a convincing win. Harry Kane bagged his ninth and tent

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h World Cup goals in the first half, then Jude Bellingham scored in the first two minutes of the second half, and Marcus Rashford, back after missing Euro 2024, sealed the deal. Bellingham's play, even if he wasn't at his best for Real Madrid this past season, could be England's X-factor. If those wingers keep opening space, their attack is going to be potent. With Panama and Ghana left, England should cruise to first in Group L. But hold up, let's talk about the African teams. What a showing so far! Five African teams already have points on the board, and three others are still in it with real hopes of making the Round of 32. Morocco, after finishing fourth in 2022, tied Brazil in their opener. Cote d'Ivoire is practically through after beating Ecuador. Egypt almost grabbed three points, tying Belgium 1-1 and only giving up an own goal! Then you've got underdog stories like DR Congo, who scored their first-ever World Cup goal in a 1-1 draw with Portugal, and Cape Verde, who held Spain scoreless in a draw. We could see roughly 20 percent of the knockout teams coming from Africa. Even Senegal and Algeria still have paths. Senegal needs a draw with Norway and a win over Iraq. Algeria's sitting at minus-3 goal differential after that Messi game, but with Austria and Jordan coming up, anything's possible. The first round of group stage games is almost done, and the second round kicks off Thursday. While teams like Tunisia and Curaçao need serious help to keep their campaigns alive, Germany, Argentina, the United States, and England are looking like solid bets to make the Round of 32. Get ready for more wild World Cup action, Seattle!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.