Lionel Messi says the tears he wiped away after scoring in Argentina’s 3-0 World Cup win over Algeria were prompted by personal circumstances rather than football. Multiple reports describe Messi’s emotional reaction after his first goal, when he appeared overcome during the celebration and was later seen wiping tears with his shirt. In post-match comments, Messi tells reporters he cried “after the first goal,” but adds it was “completely unrelated to football.” He also says he went through “difficult, complicated days” before the tournament and expresses gratitude to Argentina’s delegation and his teammates for supporting him through that period.
On the field, Argentina’s group opener features Messi’s hat-trick as the match’s decisive moment. The goals come in a 3-0 victory, with Argentina taking an early lead through his strike 17 minutes in. The same reports note that the night is also a major career milestone: Messi scores his first World Cup hat-trick, reaches his 200th international cap, and moves level with Miroslav Klose on the all-time international scoring tally, all while framing his emotional moment as personal rather than a response to the sporting record.
