When thinking about World Cup openers, it's hard not to think back to Argentina's shock loss to Saudi Arabia in 2022, but what followed was magical, with La Albiceleste securing the first World Cup title of Lionel Messi's storied career and third in the nation's history. Now, in what could be the final World Cup of Messi, with him being 38, Argentina will look to do something that hasn't been done since 1962 and win back-to-back World Cup titles.
It was Brazil who accomplished that feat, running a period where they won three World Cups in four editions, and it hasn't been done since, showing how tough it is to lift a World Cup title. It'll be even tougher when Messi has only played 20 minutes since suffering a muscular overload when facing the Philadelphia Union. He came off the bench for Argentina's friendly against Iceland, but facing an Algeria side that they should defeat with or without Messi, Lionel Scaloni may want to bring their talisman along slowly.
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As for the Desert Foxes, they have been quite comfortable in Kansas City, integrating while embracing the area. Playing soccer with kids in the area and interacting with those from Lawrence, this is the kind of stuff that the World Cup is about. It may not lead to an upset, but add that in with having a strong team around their own talisman in Riyad Mahrez, and stranger things have happened and could happen.
How to watch Argentina vs. Algeria
Date: Tuesday, June 16 | Time: 9 p.m. ET Location: Arrowhead Stadium -- Kansas City, Mo. TV: FOX (Eng), Telemundo (Spa) | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free) Odds: Argentina -250; Draw +350; Algeria +700
Argentina vs. Algeria predicted starting lineups
Argentina: Emiliano Martínez, Facundo Medina, Nicolás Otamendi, Cristian Romero, Nahuel Molina, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández, Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez, Thiago Almada
Algeria: Luca Zidane, Rayan Ait Nouri, Ramy Bensebaini, Aissa Mandi, Achref Abada, Nabil Bentaleb, Hachim Boudaoui, Mohamed Amoura, Houssem Aouar, Riyad Mahrez, Amine Gouiri
Argentina vs. Algeria pick, prediction
Even if Messi doesn't play, Argentina's defense is a stout one no matter who is in the lineup. Scaloni has done a great job setting up a system where every player knows what is expected of them, and in a grueling tournament like the World Cup, that's critical. Pick: Argentina 2, Algeria 0
Golazo 48 Nations: Follow the World Cup all summer long
Golazo 48 Nations is your all-access destination for the World Cup, with wall-to-wall coverage across the CBS Sports Golazo Network. From the first whistle to the final recap, the entire Golazo crew will guide fans through every moment of the tournament.
Each day begins with Morning Footy, setting the stage with the latest news, storylines, and previews ahead of kickoff. From there, Golazo Matchday and Golazo Matchnight deliver reaction and analysis as the action unfolds. Fans can also tune in for coverage of USMNT matches with the Call It What You Want team, as well as reaction to other marquee matchups.
The day wraps with Scoreline, a comprehensive nightly recap of every result, moment, and storyline from across the tournament. Altogether, the Golazo Network will deliver up to 12 hours of programming each matchday, available across the Golazo Network and its YouTube channel.
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