Argentina kicked off their 2026 World Cup campaign by beating Algeria 3-0, with Lionel Messi managing to score all three of his country’s goals.
Messi may be turning 39 later in June, but he remains one of the most dominant players in world football.
Now at Inter Miami, the MLS superstar netted a hat-trick on Tuesday to become the joint-top goalscorer in World Cups, but his first effort of the night was somewhat emotional for the South American.
Lionel Messi cried vs Algeria for reasons ‘completely unrelated to football’
Those who watched the clash will have seen Messi with tears in his eyes after he found the back of the net for the first time against Algeria.
Now, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano, the former FC Barcelona talent has shared that he was crying for reasons unrelated to football after going through some ‘difficult days’.
He said: “I cried after the first goal, yes, but it was something completely unrelated to football.
“I went through some difficult days, but I’m grateful to the entire delegation and my teammates because they were always by my side, giving me a lot of strength.”
Thankfully, it sounds like Messi got the support he needed from those around him.
Let’s hope the personal reasons for the player crying are not too serious, and that scoring a hat-trick at the World Cup brings some joy back into his life.
Messi and co. will now turn their attention towards a meeting with Austria at the beginning of next week.
That game takes place at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and a win for Argentina would guarantee them a spot in the World Cup Round of 32.
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