Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick on his landmark 200th appearance for Argentina, yet it was the tears he shed after his opening goal that captured the world's attention during a commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria in their first match of the 2026 World Cup.

After curling the ball into the net in the 18th minute, Messi was mobbed by teammates before he was seen wiping tears from his eyes on his shirt. The 38-year-old later revealed the emotion had nothing to do with football.