Hat-trick, historic record, and tears no one expected. 🐐 Messi did it again: three goals against Algeria in the 2026 World Cup debut, equaling Miroslav Klose’s 16 goals as the top scorer in all World Cups. But the image that stopped the world was him crying after the first one.
At the press conference, Argentina’s captain admitted it without beating around the bush: “I went through some difficult and complicated days”, without giving further details about what happened off the field. He only thanked his teammates and the entire delegation: “They were always by my side and gave me strength so I could be well.” 🙏 At 38 years old and days away from turning 39, Messi also revealed that he is watching Rafael Nadal’s documentary series and that he identifies deeply with him: “We are very similar, I always want to give my best”.
And although there was a lot of speculation surrounding the reason he was referring to, journalist Darío D´Amore shed a little light on the matter on Desayuno Americano. “It’s something personal, very intimate. There is a person he loves very much, who was very important in his sporting life and who is not going through a good moment. They are dealing with health problems, undergoing treatment”, he explained without indicating who that person was, but rumors suggest that the father of the No. 10 is the one going through this difficult moment.
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— Sudanalytics (@sudanalytics_) June 17, 2026