Messi reveals emotional reaction to scoring his first goal in Argentina's convincing 3-0 triumph against Algeria

Lionel Messi shed tears of emotion after scoring Argentina's first goal in their 3-0 win over Algeria, and he has now revealed the reason behind this outpouring of emotion.

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The Argentina captain put on a stunning display, scoring a hat-trick as his team defeated Algeria in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group J opener on Wednesday.

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The image of Messi in tears after opening the scoring has lingered, and he has now explained that his emotional response was not related to the game of football.

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According to Messi, his tears were a result of personal difficulties he had faced, and he expressed gratitude to his teammates and the team's delegation for their support during this challenging time.

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Messi's goals came in the 17th, 60th, and 76th minutes, earning him his first World Cup hat-trick and drawing him level with Miroslav Klose on 16 career World Cup goals.

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This achievement also marked his 14th World Cup goal and coincided with his 200th appearance for Argentina, as well as his sixth World Cup tournament.

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At nearly 39 years old, Messi made history by becoming the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick and a brace in the competition.

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Argentina dominated the game, despite Algeria having periods of possession, with Messi's clinical finishing proving to be the decisive factor.

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Two goals, one from Argentina and one from Algeria, were disallowed for offside, but the win gave Argentina a strong start in Group J.