This is Algeria’s mindset after World Cup beating against Messi’s Argentina side

The 69,045 in attendance at Kansas City (Arrowhead) Stadium wanted the same thing that all fans want when Lionel Messi steps on a soccer pitch.

On Tuesday night, they got what they paid for and more.

Messi’s first World Cup hat trick came at the expense of Algeria’s heartwarming story and first tournament appearance in eight years. The Argentine hero’s historic feat led to the defending champions’ 3-0 win over Algeria in the group-stage opener for both teams.

In Kansas City’s first World Cup match, the sky-blue and white La Albiceleste passed the ball through and around the Algerians. The Desert Foxes couldn’t put any of their first seven shots on goal.

The passionate and boisterous Argentina fans greatly outnumbered the green-and-white-attired Algerian faithful. Constant chants made for a raucous atmosphere unlike almost any event preceding it at Arrowhead Stadium.

Algeria has won hearts and minds in Lawrence — where it’s making its U.S. base camp for the World Cup — and Kansas City. In both locales, the local community has embraced the team, and vice versa.

But once the match began, Algeria, like so many others Messi has faced, fell victim to his brilliant ways.

“Class is permanent,” Algerian coach Vladimir Petković said through a translator of Messi’s mastery. “We actually made it easier for him to score the goals. Messi, with his clear thinking at crucial stages of the game, is able to do things that much more easily.”

Admitted star Algeria striker Riyad Mahrez, who came off the bench in the 64th minute, “We knew what to expect today.

“It simply comes down to Messi being Messi,” Mahrez said. “Of course, I think we could have done better in certain areas. He scored three goals today. ... We’ll try to take the positives and look to make up for lost ground. That makes the match against Jordan a decisive one already.”

Messi would have had four goals, but his first one, in the fifth minute, was taken away on an offside call. Algeria almost followed up two minutes later with a Farès Chaïbi goal, but that, too, was ruled offside.

In the 17th minute, however, Argentina took over.

Messi’s Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo de Paul sent a perfect ball straight to his feet from Argentina’s backline. Messi made several dribbles at the backpedaling Algerian defenders before using his left foot to curve a sweeping shot past goalkeeper Luca Zidane for the first goal of the match.

Messi’s second goal came in the 60th minute. It was a tap-in off Zidane’s deflection of a shot by Alexis Mac Allister. Messi’s final goal came in the 76th minute, when midfielder Nicolás González found Messi wide open in the 18-yard box with ample time and space to slot in another left-footer.

Messi turns 39 next Wednesday.

Much will be made of Messi, who turns 39 in a week, and the Argentinian team as they work to defend their World Cup title. This could be his last World Cup, and they looked good: Argentina totaled 10 shots, putting six on target. As is standard for their style of soccer, they capitalized on opportunities to hold possession and attack.

But Algeria is still worth paying attention to. They will be hungry to do better in their next matches, against Jordan and Austria, in Group J. Had Chaïbi’s goal counted — had Algeria taken a 1-0 lead — perhaps the outcome could’ve been different.

“I think it would be a different match,” Algeria attacker Ibrahim Maza said. But even with how it played out, “I think we weren’t too bad,” he said. “Just little details in the defending.”

Both Algeria and Jordan will be coming off opening losses. Jordan fell to 3-1 Austria late Tuesday night.

Algeria will play Jordan on Monday in Santa Clara, California before returning to KC (and base camp in Lawrence) to face Austria. At that point, spots in the World Cup’s knockout round could be on the line.

So Les Fennecs — Algeria — is moving on. And that’s the sort of mindset that’s needed in this tournament. That and a positive attitude.

“The mindset is there. We aren’t going to give up,” said Mahrez.

At age 35, this could be his last World Cup.

“I still have two matches left, and I’m not giving up,” he said. “We won’t be able to prepare for these two games in the best possible way. It’s certain that the right mindset needs to be there.”