Lionel Messi was moved to tears after scoring the opening goal in Argentina's 3-0 victory over Algeria, later revealing that personal issues contributed to his emotional reaction. The 38-year-old netted a historic hat-trick, leveling him with Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history with 16 goals.
Messi's Emotional Revelation
Speaking after the match, Messi 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.'
Hat-Trick Highlights
Messi opened the scoring with a stunning long-range effort, picking up the ball 30 yards out before curling it into the top right corner. He added a second goal in the second half by tapping in after Alexis Mac Allister's powerful shot was parried by goalkeeper Luca Zidane. His third came from a trademark move on the edge of the box, shifting onto his left foot and drilling the ball into the bottom corner.
Other World Cup Action
On the same day, Kylian Mbappe scored a brace for France in their 3-1 win over Senegal, while Erling Haaland netted his first World Cup goals in Norway's 2-1 victory over Iraq. France's match was marred by a controversial VAR decision denying Mbappe a penalty, despite appearing to be fouled by Malick Diouf.
Messi's performance stole the headlines as the defending champions sent a strong message to their rivals in what could be his final World Cup campaign.
