Lionel Messi has revealed the emotional reason behind his tears after scoring his first goal in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi has revealed the reason behind his emotional reaction after scoring the opening goal in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening Group J match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 38-year-old superstar produced a remarkable performance on Wednesday, netting all three goals as the defending champions began their title defence in impressive fashion. However, the most memorable moment of the night came after his first goal when Messi was seen in tears.
Speaking after the match, the Inter Miami forward explained that his emotions were not related to football.
“Yes, I cried after the first goal, but it had nothing to do with football,” Messi said. “I went through some difficult days recently, and I’m thankful to the entire delegation and my teammates for standing by me and giving me strength.”
Messi opened the scoring in the 17th minute before adding two more goals in the 60th and 76th minutes to complete a stunning hat-trick. The feat marked the first World Cup hat-trick of his illustrious career and saw him draw level with Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals.
The Argentine icon also reached another milestone, making his 200th appearance for Argentina and competing in his sixth World Cup tournament. At almost 39 years old, he became the oldest player in World Cup history to score both a hat-trick and a brace in the competition.
Although Algeria enjoyed spells of possession, Argentina remained in control throughout the match, with Messi’s clinical finishing making the difference. Both teams also had goals ruled out for offside during the encounter.
The victory gives Argentina a perfect start to their Group J campaign as they continue their quest to retain the World Cup title.