Lionel Messi broke his silence after scoring his first hat-trick in a World Cup against Algeria on Tuesday, June 16.
The GOAT of football has opened up about why he broke down in tears during his stunning hat-trick moment that tied him with Miroslab Klose.
Messi’s hat-trick led Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Algeria in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup.
The emotional moment came when other Argentine players dispersed; Messi was then seen wiping tears from his shirt before play resumed.
Messi opened his scoring goal in the 17th minute with an impressive shot from outside the penalty area.
The 38-year-old Argentine icon explained that emotion has nothing to do with exploits on the field.
“Honestly, without any relationship with the sport, I had difficult and complicated days,” Messi said in a post-match interview.
“I thank the entire delegation, my colleagues, they were always there for me, as always.
“They gave me a lot of strength to get through this and that’s it.”
The battle for the golden boot has just begun, with Messi and Mbappé face to face.
Messi will have an opportunity on his hands on Monday, June 22, when Argentina faces Austria.
