Argentina legend Lionel Messi has explained the reason behind his emotional reaction after scoring during the 2026 FIFA World Cup opener. The defending champions defeated Algeria 3-0 in Kansas, with all three goals coming from their captain, Lionel Messi. The Inter Miami captain's hat-trick moved him level with German legend Miroslav Klose as the all-time World Cup top scorer.
Messi's First Hat-Trick for Argentina
La Albiceleste defeated Algeria 3-0, with Messi scoring the first hat-trick of his international career at Arrowhead Stadium on Wednesday, June 17. The Argentine captain opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane inadvertently pushed his long-range effort into the net. Messi doubled the lead in the 60th minute after Zidane spilled a shot into his path, allowing the veteran forward to tap home from close range. The Inter Miami star completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute with a superb strike from outside the penalty area.
It was Messi's first-ever World Cup hat-trick and came exactly 20 years after he scored his first goal for Argentina. The hat-trick took his World Cup tally to 16 goals, drawing him level with former Germany striker Miroslav Klose as the joint-highest scorer in the tournament's history, according to FIFA.
Emotional Celebration Explained
Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi was overcome with emotion after scoring his first goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for Argentina. Following the opener against Algeria, television cameras captured the Argentina captain wiping tears from his eyes with his jersey during the celebrations. According to The Sun, Messi later clarified that his emotional reaction had nothing to do with the match itself or Argentina's victory over the Desert Foxes.
The former Paris Saint-Germain star revealed that he had experienced some personal difficulties in recent weeks and was grateful for the support he received from his teammates and the Argentine delegation. He said: "I cried after the first goal, yes… But it was something completely unrelated to football. 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 did not disclose the nature of the difficulties he faced in the lead-up to the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi was emotional after his first goal, but was excited after completing the hat-trick in front of a man he adores, Zinedine Zidane, and against his son. He remained humble despite the historic night and refused to accept that he is the best of all time, though he accepted being one of them.
Messi Eyes World Cup Golden Boot
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature two players who could finish the tournament as the outright top scorer in World Cup history. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are within touching distance of German football legend Miroslav Klose, who is the leading scorer with 16 goals.
