Lionel Messi says he was brought to tears after scoring Argentina’s opening goal against Algeria because of something that had nothing to do with football.
Messi scored a hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win, marking his 200th appearance for his country. After curling in a beautiful opener in the 18th minute, his teammates swarmed him in celebration. Then he was spotted wiping tears away on his shirt.
“Why did I cry? It was something completely unrelated to football,” Messi said after the game. “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 to help me get through it.”
The hat trick was Messi’s first ever at a World Cup. It took his total to 16 goals in the tournament, tying him with Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the all-time top scorer in World Cup history.
He also became the first player ever to feature in six World Cups. The milestone came exactly 20 years after his World Cup debut, when he scored in Argentina’s 6-0 win over Serbia and Montenegro.
There were some doubts about his fitness coming into the tournament. He’d been substituted early in his last MLS match for Inter Miami because of muscle fatigue. But he looked sharp against Algeria.
The win also meant Argentina won their opening match as defending champions for the first time. In 1982 and 1990, they lost their first games as holders.
“It makes me very happy to have lived through everything that came my way,” Messi added. “What I’m living through now is the cherry on top. I’m very happy and grateful for this wonderful group, I enjoy it so much.”
Messi was substituted after 80 minutes to a standing ovation. His name echoed around the stadium as he walked off.
Teammate Alexis Mac Allister said: “There are no words to describe him. If anyone thought this team was better without Leo, today it was proven that the opposite is true. He is our most important player. We need to build a team around him, and we are doing it.”
Argentina’s next match in Group J is against Austria on Monday, June 22.
Argentina vs Algeria: Lionel Messi Breaks Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup Hat-Trick Age Record
Lionel Messi has broken Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for the oldest player to score a hat trick at the World Cup. At 38 years and 357 days old, Messi is now the oldest man to score both a brace and a hat trick in the tournament’s history.
Ronaldo set the previous record at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, when he scored a hat trick against Spain at age 33.
Messi’s hat trick came in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria on Tuesday night in Kansas City. It was his 200th appearance for Argentina, and he scored three very different goals. The first was a powerful long-range strike in the 17th minute, set up by a quick free kick from Rodrigo De Paul. The second was a close-range tap-in after a rebound from Mac Allister’s shot. The third came in the 76th minute – a composed curling finish after he started the move himself with a run through defenders.
The hat trick also moved Messi into a tie with Miroslav Klose for the most World Cup goals ever at 16. He passed Brazil’s Ronaldo, who has 15, as well as Germany’s Gerd Muller and France’s Kylian Mbappé, who both have 14. Mbappé had scored twice earlier in the day to move to 14, but Messi’s three goals put him clear of the French star.
The milestone came exactly 20 years after Messi’s first World Cup goal, which he scored in Argentina’s 6-0 win over Serbia and Montenegro in the 2006 tournament. That added a historic touch to an already landmark performance.
FAQs
Q. Why did Lionel Messi become emotional after scoring against Algeria?
A. Messi said his tears had nothing to do with football. He explained that he had gone through some difficult days recently and was grateful.
Q. What did Messi achieve in the match against Algeria?
A. Messi scored his first-ever World Cup hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria.
Q. What records did Messi set during the game?
A. Messi became the first player ever to appear in six FIFA World Cups.
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