Why did "Lionel Messi" cry after scoring his first goal in the "2026 World Cup"?
On 17 June 2026 GMT+7, following Argentina's 3-0 thrashing of Algeria where Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick, he set a record with 16 World Cup goals, tying with German legend Miroslav Klose. One more goal would make him the top scorer in World Cup finals history.
Many wondered why "Messi" cried after scoring his first goal in this match, since he has already achieved so much success in his career.
Messi explained, "Why did I cry? It wasn't about football. I've been through difficult times before. I want to thank everyone—staff, teammates—who have stood by me constantly and given me great encouragement to get through tough moments."
Currently, Messi has played 200 matches for Argentina, scoring 120 goals and providing 64 assists. He had previously announced his retirement from the national team in 2016 at age 29 after losing the Copa America final to Chile, but soon reversed his decision. He then led Argentina to win both the Copa America and the 2022 World Cup.