Lionel Messi reminded the football world of his greatness with a vintage display against Algeria, scoring the first World Cup hat-trick of his career at 38. The Argentina captain's performance sent a strong message that he remains the heartbeat of the team.
Messi was visibly emotional after opening the scoring, with tears in his eyes as he celebrated. He revealed that the moment was linked to personal struggles rather than football-related issues.
‘Yes, I cried after my first goal… it was for something completely unrelated to football. I went through some difficult days, but I’m grateful to the entire delegation and my teammates because they were always by my side, giving me a lot of strength to help me get through it,' Messi said.
Messi drew level with Miroslav Klose as the joint-highest scorer in World Cup history, taking his tally to 16 goals. He set the tone with a stunning strike in the 17th minute before adding two more after the break.
Even after achieving almost everything the sport has to offer, Messi said his love for football remains unchanged. ‘I love playing football; it has been my passion since I was little kid. When I'm in good form, I give everything I have on the field,' he said.
