“Messi is crazy,” Haaland praises the hat-trick of the Argentine legend.

Erling Haaland did not hide his admiration after Lionel Messi’s exceptional display during Argentina’s entry to the 2026 World Cup. Scoring a hat-trick against Algeria (3-0), the captain of the Albiceleste received praise from the Norwegian striker. On his Snapchat account, the Manchester City star reacted to the Argentine world champion’s demonstration by posting a photo accompanied by a comment that was as brief as it was eloquent: “Messi is insane.”

A mark of respect coming from a direct competitor in the race for the Golden Shoe. Just a few hours earlier, Haaland himself had made a remarkable debut in the tournament by scoring a brace in Norway’s resounding victory against Iraq (4-1). The two goals from the Manchester City forward significantly contributed to his team’s success, which ideally kicked off their World Cup campaign.

But the Norwegian’s performance was quickly overshadowed by Messi’s. With his three goals against Algeria, the Argentine not only took the lead in the tournament’s scoring chart, but he also tied the German Miroslav Klose at the top of the hierarchy of the best scorers in World Cup history. At 39 years old, the seven-time Ballon d’Or continues to write his legend on the international stage and confirms that he remains one of the key players in the 2026 World Cup.