Golden Ball odds: Messi now favored after Algeria hat trick

Lionel Messi’s hat trick against Algeria has pushed him to the top of the Golden Ball market as traders reassess Argentina’s world soccer cup chances.

After Argentina beat Algeria 3-0 in Kansas City thanks to three goals by Messi, traders price the superstar at 25% to win the top overall player honor, followed by France’s Kylian Mbappe at 23%, and England’s Harry Kane at 8%.

^{For informational purposes only. Not trading advice. See full disclaimer below. Kalshi is not affiliated with FIFA or World Cup 2026.}

Messi’s standing also got a boost on the Golden Boot Winner market for the player who scores the most goals during the world soccer cup. Messi’s price jumped to 24%, just under Mbappe at 26%.

Messi’s team also saw a small jump on the world soccer cup winner market. Argentina jumped to 11.6%, just under Spain at 13.4%. France leads the market at 18.5%.

Messi’s impressive night in the Argentina-Algeria bout boosted his standing in the prediction markets and across the tournament.

The Athletic’s Oliver Kay and Jack Lang reported that Messi’s three goals tied him with Germany’s Miroslav Klose “as the all-time top scorer at a men’s World Cup” at 16 goals.

Messi racked up the goals to give Argentina its decisive win with six total shots in just 45 minutes. Four minutes into the game, “Messi was back in his own defensive third winning the ball back. A little later, he was haring after Algeria defenders.”

His first move past goalkeeper Luca Zidane was denied due to “a late offside flag,” but he made up for it with his first decisive goal assisted by Thiago Almada and Rodrigo De Paul.

Then at the 59:43 mark, Messi picked up his second goal thanks to a “gorgeous pass” from Lautaro Martinez that led to a goalkeeping error. Messi dinged it into the right side of the goal thanks to Zidane’s mistake bringing the game to 2-0.

Messi completed his hat trick at 75:39. He made a decisive shot from outside the top of the penalty box, putting the ball in the left corner of the net.

It’s still early in the competition, but some sports writers and soccer legends are already calling Messi the GOAT of this year’s tournament.

Former Brazilian player Ronaldo Nazario told TyC Sports (H/T SB Nation) it’s time to “stop hiding” and “accept the fact” that Messi is destined to become the greatest soccer player of all time.

“Records are made to be broke and the person who breaks it doesn’t surprise any football fan in the world,” Nazario said. “Argentina is the current reigning champion of the competition.”

Nazario added that he came to his conclusion about Messi’s place in sports history after witnessing Messi’s hat trick that gave Argentina its big win over Algeria.

“He continues to perform every season, and at the World Cup, yet there are still doubts about him,” Nazario said. “It’s an unforgettable and historic night that will go down in history forever.”

Kalshi markets now predict

Follow Danny Gallagher on Instagram: @writerdannygallagher
Follow Kalshi on X: @Kalshi

^{This article may contain content generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence. The opinions and perspectives presented in this article belong solely to the author. This is not financial advice. Trading on Kalshi involves risk and may not be appropriate for all. Members risk losing their cost to enter any transaction, including fees. You should carefully consider whether trading on Kalshi is appropriate for you in light of your investment experience and financial resources. Any trading decisions you make are solely your responsibility and at your own risk. Information is provided for convenience only on an "AS IS" basis. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Kalshi is subject to U.S. regulatory oversight by the CFTC.}