Argentina walked into the 2026 World Cup as defending champions, carrying the weight that comes with trying to defend that title. Lionel Messi, now in his sixth World Cup, stepped into the opener against Algeria in Kansas City.
But it was what happened in the minutes right the first goal that had everyone talking long after the final whistle.
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Messi thought he had opened the scoring in the eighth minute, only to see it ruled out for offside.
He did not wait long. The real goal came in the 17th minute, a left footed strike from outside the box.
As the ball hit the net, the Argentina captain was seen wiping away tears, catching everyone off guard. After the match, with his words later shared by journalist Fabrizio Romano, Messi explained why.
“I cried after the first goal, yes… but it was something completely unrelated to football.”
But he kept going, opening up about the days leading into the tournament.
“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 made sure to thank the Argentine fans too, who filled the stadium in Kansas City, calling the support a reminder of how much the country lives for this team.
Later in the match, after wrapping up his hat trick, Messi was taken off to a standing ovation from the crowd in Kansas City, the kind of reception only he gets.
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Algeria came in as no pushovers, having won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019, but they could not find an answer for Messi’s movement going forward.
The hat trick was the first of Messi’s World Cup career, pulling him level with Miroslav Klose’s all time record of 16 World Cup goals.
The night carried even more weight than that, since it also marked his 200th appearance for the national team.
His sixth World Cup appearance made him the first player in history to reach that mark, a feat Cristiano Ronaldo was set to match a day later with Portugal.
And then there was Pele’s record for the most goal contributions in World Cup history, which Messi quietly passed along the way.
Messi’s tears reminded fans that life moves alongside the game, even for one of the best to ever play it.
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