Buenos aires: Lionel Messi, captain of the Argentinian national team, recently disclosed that his emotional display after scoring against Algeria in the 2026 World Cup was linked to personal challenges rather than football-related issues. Messi's revelation came after he scored his first goal during Argentina's 3-0 victory over Algeria.

According to Thai News Agency, Messi explained that he had been experiencing a difficult and challenging period in his personal life. The stress and emotions culminated in tears when he scored the opening goal in the 17th minute, allowing him to release the pent-up emotions he had been enduring.

Messi's performance in the tournament was notable as he participated in his sixth World Cup final and achieved a Man of the Match honor by scoring his first World Cup hat-trick. Additionally, he tied with Miroslav Klose for the all-time leading scorer in World Cup finals with 16 goals.