Messi scores a hat trick, says tears came after a difficult personal stretch

Lionel Messi turned 39 next week, but he produced one of the most remarkable World Cup performances of his career on Tuesday night, scoring three times and leading Argentina to a 3-0 win over Algeria. The result marked a dominant start for the reigning champions and a stark contrast to their 2-1 opening loss to Saudi Arabia at the 2022 World Cup.

Messi scored in the 17th, 60th and 74th minutes, becoming the tournament’s all-time top scorer and showing the form that made the opener look routine for Argentina. After his first goal, he was seen crying with emotion, an unusual reaction that drew attention immediately.

After the match, Messi said the tears were not about football. “Why did I cry? It’s something unrelated to football. I went through hard days, but I am grateful to the delegation and my teammates who were always by my side, gave me a lot of strength and helped me get through it,” he said.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said the team expected a difficult game. “We knew we would suffer, that this is a team that plays well and has things that could make it difficult for us,” he said. “The first match is always complicated. The mind plays a big role, and the stumble in Qatar affected us, it was in our heads. The win gives us peace of mind for what is to come.”