I thought Messi would score once, never imagined he'd get a hat-trick
I had a feeling that Lionel Messi would probably score once and perhaps provide an assist in Argentina's opening match. But I never imagined he would produce a hat-trick in the very first game. To do it at the age of 38, and register the first World Cup hat-trick of his career, is beyond imagination.
With that hat-trick, Messi has already drawn level with Miroslav Klose's record of 16 World Cup goals. There are still more matches to come.
But the biggest question now is, just how far can Messi go?
On the other hand, Kylian Mbappe also began the tournament brilliantly with a brace, taking his World Cup tally to 14 goals. We may well witness a fascinating race between Messi and Mbappe throughout this World Cup.
The magical Messi we witnessed in Qatar back in 2022, is still here. Seeing him arrive at his sixth World Cup with the same hunger, skill and determination is hugely inspiring for professional footballers like us.
Throughout the match, it felt as though his left foot remained every bit as sharp as it was in his youth. That's exactly why he is called the 'GOAT'. As Messi completed his hat-trick, I couldn't help but imagine the entire city of Buenos Aires erupting.
His pace, intelligence, ability to create space and take shots in an instant were all impeccable. As a midfielder, I was paying close attention to how much room Algeria's defenders were giving him. They learned the hard way that allowing Messi even the slightest bit of space is asking for trouble.
Messi's performance is also a valuable lesson for young footballers in Bangladesh. Once again, he proved that neither age nor pressure has to be a barrier. Our young players should watch these matches carefully, especially Messi's movement off the ball. There is so much they can learn from him.
I myself played for Argentine third-division club Sol de Mayo, which gave me the opportunity to experience the country's football culture firsthand. That is why I always watch the world champions with a slightly different perspective. Their victory over Algeria in the opening match was expected.
The understanding between Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez in midfield was already well established and that chemistry was evident again in the World Cup opener. That is a major strength for this team.
That said, we should remain realistic. Argentina's recent opponents—Iceland, Honduras, Zambia, Mauritania, Angola, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Ecuador have generally been less formidable sides. In that sense, they have yet to face a truly demanding test.
Their real strength will become clearer when they come up against one of the world's top-ranked teams. So rather than getting carried away after one game, I would prefer to wait for the bigger challenges. Still, beginning the tournament with a 3–0 victory is undoubtedly significant. As a captain myself, I know how reassuring it is to start a major tournament with a win.
France, another of this World Cup's leading favourites, have also made an impressive start. Mbappe has once again shown that he is a pure goalscoring machine. Gradually, he seems to be evolving into a player in the mould of Cristiano Ronaldo.
In my opinion, France's attacking quartet of Ousmane Dembele, Mbappe, Michael Olise and Desiré Doue is the strongest in the tournament. They also possess remarkable depth on the bench. I actually believe this French side is even stronger than the one that reached the 2022 World Cup final.
Hopefully, the matches ahead will provide us with even more thrilling contests.