It took Lionel Messi just seventeen minutes to open his account at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He curled in a long ranger from outside the box that Algeria’s goalkeeper, Luca Zidane, could touch, but not keep out. However, after the celebration with his teammates, Messi was seen emotional, wiping away tears with his jersey. Speculations sparked instantly on what triggered the defending champions’ captain to be so overwhelmed. After the match, Messi put those speculations to rest with his side of the story.

Messi clarified in his post-match conversation with the press that his emotions were unrelated to what was happening on the field. “It had nothing to do with football; I went through some difficult days,” he said. “It was a matter totally unrelated to sports; I went through some difficult, complicated days.” He refused to go into detail, but he was clear about who had helped him get through it. “I’m grateful to the entire delegation, to my teammates. They made a lot of effort to make sure I am doing well.”

There were concerns about the 38-year-old’s fitness in the days leading up to the World Cup. He suffered muscle fatigue and seemed to have had issues with his hamstring. On May 24, he came off the pitch at the 72-minute mark during Inter Miami’s 6-4 win against Philadelphia Union due to visible discomfort in his thigh.

Argentina’s head coach, Lionel Scaloni, eased fans’ concerns a few weeks later, saying, “The injury is in the past. Leo is working very well in training, and he can get minutes already in the friendlies.”

Messi rested for the friendly against Honduras, but came on in the 70th minute against Iceland, and successfully converted a penalty kick 2 minutes later.

The hat trick against Algeria, his first at a World Cup, brought his total World Cup goal tally to 16, tying him with Germany’s Miroslav Klose. It also made him the first player in history to appear in six World Cups, exactly twenty years after his debut in a 6-0 victory over Serbia and Montenegro. Tears, rather than record-breaking numbers, defined the night.

Messi’s hat trick came in his 200th appearance for Argentina, and it helped his team get off to a strong start in their World Cup defense.

When asked about how this performance fits into his career, Messi chose contentment over triumph. “It makes me very happy to have lived through everything that came my way. What I’m experiencing now is the cherry on top,” he said. “I’m very happy and grateful for this wonderful group. I am enjoying it so much.”

A statement performance from captain Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi was replaced after 80 minutes to a standing ovation, and his name resounded throughout the stadium. Argentina won their first World Cup match as defending champions, following defeats in 1982 and 1990. Four years after finally earning their third star in Qatar, the symbolism of starting the defense with a statement performance was morale-boosting.

His teammates didn’t mince words when it came to expressing how much he still means to them. “There are no words to describe him. If anyone thought this team was better without Leo, today it was proven that the opposite is true,” said midfielder Alexis Mac Allister. “He is our most important player. We need to build a team around him, and we are doing it.”

Argentina will face Austria in their second Group J match on Monday, June 22nd. Whatever weight Messi was carrying into Kansas City, he dropped it on the field, giving Argentina the perfect start.