Argentina star Lionel Messi has disclosed that the tears he shed immediately after scoring his opening goal against Algeria were due to difficult days regarding personal matters that were completely unrelated to football.
The iconic playmaker opened up about his raw emotional display during his post-match press conference, where he kept the details of the situation private but expressed profound gratitude to his teammates and the Argentine staff for standing by his side and supporting him through the ordeal.
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Messi went on to net another two goals to secure a 3-0 victory for Argentina against Algeria in their opening Group J clash of the FIFA World Cup. 2026.
This historic performance marked his first career World Cup hat-trick and brought his all-time World Cup tally to 16 goals, simultaneously equalling Miroslav Klose’s record for the most goals scored in FIFA World Cup history.
“It had nothing to do with football; I went through some difficult days,” Messi said after the game. “It was a matter totally unrelated to sports; I went through some difficult, complicated days.”
“I’m grateful to the entire delegation and to my teammates. They made a lot of effort to make sure I am doing well.
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“It makes me very happy to have lived through everything that came my way. What I’m experiencing now is the cherry on top,” Messi said. “I’m very happy and grateful for this wonderful group. I am enjoying it so much.”
The Argentinean great led Lionel Scaloni’s side to their third World Cup four years ago in Qatar, a triumph that sealed his first ever trophy in the competition.
