Arrowhead Stadium has a new name in its celebrity story, and it belongs to a man who plays football rather than country pop. Lionel Messi scored all three goals as Argentina beat Algeria 3-0 in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group J opener on Tuesday, sending the Kansas City crowd into scenes that veteran sports analyst Skip Bayless could only describe one way.
"Tonight at Arrowhead, Messi was even bigger than Taylor Swift," Bayless posted on X. The remark was a nod to Swift's well-known presence at Chiefs games, where she regularly watches fiancé Travis Kelce.
Why did Skip Bayless compare Messi to Taylor Swift at Arrowhead Stadium?
The context matters. Taylor Swift, a 14-time Grammy Award winner engaged to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, draws enormous attention during the NFL season at the same ground. For Bayless to place Messi above that level of celebrity noise says everything about the atmosphere inside the stadium on Tuesday night. As Messi kept scoring, Bayless grew louder, posting: "MESSI, AGAIN!!! HAT TRICK!!! ONE AWAY FROM ALL-TIME RECORD!!! GOAT SHOWCASE!!!"
The three goals moved Messi to 16 World Cup goals, drawing level with Miroslav Klose at the top of the tournament's all-time scoring chart. He also achieved two other landmarks on the same night, making his 200th appearance for Argentina and becoming the first player in football history to feature at six different World Cups.
Patrick Mahomes was in the stands and said everything he needed to without a single word, posting three goat emojis on X after the final whistle. The Chiefs quarterback was not alone. The Athletic's Esfandiar Baraheni wrote: "Lionel Messi is the greatest there was and greatest there ever will be. My goodness. Hat-trick in his first game of the tournament at 38 years old plus ties the record for most World Cup goals."
It was not a flawless evening. Messi escaped what looked like a red card offence after appearing to stamp on Algeria defender Aissa Mandi's calf in the first half. VAR looked, the referee moved on, and Messi stayed on the pitch to finish the job.
Kylian Mbappe scored twice against Senegal and Erling Haaland bagged a brace as Norway beat Iraq 4-1 earlier in the day. Messi answered with three. The conversation about who leads this golden generation feels settled, at least for now.
Argentina face Austria in Arlington, Texas on Monday, June 22 before concluding their group stage against Jordan on June 27. Klose's record stands alone by the slimmest of margins, and Messi needs just one more to own it outright.
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About the Author
Prantik Prabal Roy is a passionate sports writer who eats, breathes, and lives the game. Since 2020, he has been in the content writing industry after completion of his Master's degree in English literature and covering the NFL since 2024 with sharp insights, while also diving into the NHL and MLB with equal enthusiasm. He loves crafting content that drives traffic without sacrificing quality. He blends storytelling with analysis to keep readers hooked. When he's not writing, Prantik can be found cheering on the Buffalo Bills or diving into books that celebrate the world of sports.
