Lione Messi. Photo: Getty Images
Lionel Messi has explained why he broke down in tears after scoring Argentina’s opening goal in their 3-0 victory over Algeria.
The Argentina captain on Wednesday delivered a masterclass performance with a hat trick as defending champions defeated the North Africans in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group J opener.
Yet the enduring image of the night was not one of his three goals, but of the Inter Miami captain, visibly emotional and in tears immediately after opening the scoring.
Speaking after the match, the 38-year-old Messi explained that his tears had nothing to do with football.
