Messi Speaks On Match Against Algeria, Why He Cried After 2026 World Cup First Goal

Argentina’s captain has opened up on his record-breaking display against Algeria and the emotional moment that saw him break down in tears after scoring his first goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Naija News reports that Messi, 38, produced a vintage performance on Wednesday, netting a hat-trick as Argentina began the defence of their World Cup title with a convincing 3-0 win over Algeria in Kansas City.

Messi scored in the 17th, 60th and 76th minutes to secure all three points for the South Americans. The treble was his first-ever World Cup hat-trick and moved him level with the competition’s joint all-time leading scorer on 16 goals.

Despite reaching another historic milestone, Messi insisted the record was not his main focus.

“To enjoy this with my family, with my teammates, the ones who are always there, is a really beautiful moment,” Messi said. “I’m happy.”

He added: “It’s an honour to be there, given what it means to stand alongside Klose or the others.

“Ronaldo is there too, but I don’t think it means anything, Mbappe as well, who scored two today (in a 3-1 win against Senegal).

“In the end, it’s just a statistic and nothing more.”

While the goals grabbed the headlines, many fans were left wondering why Messi became emotional after opening the scoring. Images of the Argentina skipper in tears quickly spread across social media.

Speaking after the match, the Inter Miami star revealed the tears were linked to personal struggles away from football.

“I cried after the first goal, yes… but it was something completely unrelated to football”, he said.

“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.”

Messi also praised the unity within the Argentina camp after the perfect start to their Group J campaign.

“The squad, it’s a very united, very strong group,” he said.

“I feel good. We were lucky enough to win a tough match. It’s important to start with a win in the first game.

“I’m grateful to the fans, because once again they’ve shown that Argentina is crazy about this, we packed the stadium again.”

Argentina’s manager was full of praise for his captain, saying the football world continues to witness greatness whenever Messi steps onto the pitch.

“For 20 years, he’s had us used to seeing things like this, and he inspires everyone who watches him play,” Scaloni said.

Midfielder also highlighted Messi’s importance to the team, while teammate described him simply as “a beast”.