Personal struggles behind emotional celebration in Argentina's WC opener: Messi

Argentina captain Lionel Messi revealed that the tears he shed after scoring in his side's FIFA World Cup 2026 Group J opener against Algeria were the result of personal difficulties rather than anything related to football.

The 38-year-old forward became emotional after netting Argentina's first goal in Monday night's match. He later completed a historic hat-trick-his first in World Cup competition-while also drawing level with Miroslav Klose as the tournament's all-time leading scorer.

Messi's emotional reaction sparked widespread speculation among fans, but he clarified after the match that he had recently been dealing with challenging circumstances away from the sport.

Speaking to reporters, Messi said he had gone through several difficult days before the game and stressed that the situation was unrelated to football. Although he chose not to disclose further details, he thanked his teammates and members of the Argentine delegation for their support during that period.

The veteran forward also expressed satisfaction with the stage of his career he is currently enjoying, describing it as a special reward after everything he has accomplished over the years. He said he was grateful to be part of the current Argentina squad and was enjoying every moment with the team.

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni praised Messi's display after the reigning champions opened their title defence with a convincing 3-0 victory over Algeria. Scaloni said Messi's performance was extraordinary and admitted he struggled to find words to describe the star forward's impact on the team.