After the triumph of the argentine national team by 3 to 0 in the debut of the 2026 World Cup against Algeria, the figure of the match, Lionel Messiexplained why he became emotional and burst into tears after the first of his three goals. “I had a difficult few days“, revealed the Rosario star.
Asked by the press about the emotion after the first goal, Messi said: “It was a matter unrelated to sports. I spent some difficult and complicated days. I am grateful to the delegation and all my teammates. They were always by my side and gave me strength to be well.”
Although the Argentine captain never explained what he meant by his words.
The Rosario player also analyzed the performance of the Argentine team in this Tuesday’s match: “We stood well when we had the ball and we knew how to manage the game very well.He also highlighted the good technique and intensity of the Algerian players.
““We had the experience of the last one and nobody gives anything away”noted Messi in reference to the difficulty of the first matches in the World Cup and remembering the debut of the Argentine team in the 2022 World Cup, against Saudi Arabia.
The Inter Miami player achieved a new achievement in this match: he became the player with the most goals in the World Cup, along with the German Miroslav Klosewith 16 conquests.
Asked about this new brand, the Argentine star valued the colleagues with whom he shares said podium. “It is an honor. They are MbappeRonaldo, but they are numbers that mean nothing. They are statistics. Ronaldo “It is one of the largest and it is not first, so it is a single statistic,” he said.
In relation to other personal achievements, Messi referred to the fact of having a street named after him in New Jersey and the satisfaction that this recognition generates, as well as the many that he obtained throughout his career. “I couldn’t imagine that or everything I had to experience. All this is from yapa, I was lucky to get everything and more at a group and individual level. Today I have to enjoy this. “Everything I achieved is more than I imagined when I was a child.”he assured.
Regarding the challenges ahead in the 2026 World Cup, the Argentine captain considered that “all the games are going to be physically very intense.” Furthermore, he explained that whenever he has to play his goal is to provide the best possible sporting performance: “I always like to be at my best,” he said. In relation to that, he said that he is watching the tennis player’s series Rafael Nadal and assured that in that aspect they are “very similar.”
In the match against Jordan, the player who has won eight Ballon d’Or awards throughout his career was the author of the three goals that gave the Argentine team victory. Seven minutes into the first half, the team led by Lionel Scaloni warned. He generated a play that ended with the ball inside the rival goal, but it was invalidated by the match referee, Szymon Marciniak, after the VAR check.
At 17 minutes, Messi opened the scoring with a great goal from outside the area that hit the corner of the goal defended by Luca Zidane. The assistance was provided by his teammate at Inter Miami, Rodrigo DePaul.
Already in the second half, 60 minutes into the game, the Albiceleste team’s second goal arrived. On this occasion, the play began with a great long pass from goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez. The one who received that long delivery was Messi and the one who ended up leaving the ball against the net was also him.
The third came thanks to a pass from Nicolás González and at 78 minutes he left the field of play, to make way for Nicolás Paz, and as expected, he was fired with an ovation.
Now, with the Argentine team heading into Group J, against Austria, this Monday, at 2:00 p.m., in Dallas. But the important thing is that the first step was taken firmly.
