Claudius “Chiqui” Wall and Lionel Messi They carried out a curious exchange after the 3 to 0 victory of the Argentine team in the debut in the World Cup 2026 against Algeria. When the Rosario star approached to talk to the press, the president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) passed behind him with what seemed to be the hat-trick ball of the captain of the Albiceleste team.
“I don’t know if it’s the ball that Chiqui has (in reference to Tapia, president of the AFA)”, Messi expressed to a journalist in the mixed zone of the Arrowhead Stadiumwhen he realized that Tapia was carrying the Trionda with him, after the debut of the team led by Scaloni, which started firmly in the world championship.
In the video you can see the Argentine captain making his statements without ignoring who was passing behind him. Upon noticing that it was Tapia who was walking in his direction, the notero asked him: “Chiqui: is that Leo’s ball?“
With a smile and wearing sunglasses, the AFA boss avoided responding, but gave Messi the ball he was carrying in his hands. The Inter Miami forward received it and stopped to observe it, however, he returned it and Tapia continued on his way.
“That is the ball that Marito (De Stéfano, national team prop) had. Maybe yes, maybe it is”Messi concluded.
He hat trick (hat trick, as translated from English) is a term that was born in 1858 in British cricket. Back then, when a pitcher managed to throw out three batters in a row, The club gave him a hat as recognition.
As the years go by, The popularity of the concept carried over to other sportsincluding football. But with one caveat: instead of a hat, the most accessible and representative physical prize became the ball with which the game was being played.
With his three goals against Algeria, Messi has converted 16 goals in the history of the World Cups. With that figure, the Argentine star reached the German Miroslav Klose at the top of the table of all-time top scorers in the World Cups.
After his stellar participation and after Argentina’s first match in the 2026 World Cup, Messi explained why he became emotional and burst into tears after the first of his three goals. “I had a difficult few days“, confessed the Rosario star.
Asked by the press about the emotion in the first goal, Messi said: “It was a matter unrelated to sports.. I spent some difficult and complicated days. Grateful to the delegation and all my colleagues. They were always by my side and gave me strength to be well.” Although the Argentine captain never detailed what he meant by his words.
On the other hand, the player from Rosario 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“Messi noted 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 next challenge that Messi and company will have will be on Monday the 22ndwhen the Argentine team faces Austria from 2 p.m. at the Dallas Stadium for the second date of group J.
