Lionel Messi once again reminded the football world why he remains among the game's finest, despite nearing his 39th birthday and no longer playing in Europe.
The Argentina captain delivered a vintage display against Algeria, taking control of the match and scoring the first World Cup hat-trick of his career at the age of 38. It was a special occasion for Messi, who was playing in a World Cup as a reigning world champion for the first time after lifting the trophy in Qatar four years ago, reports Hindustan Times.
Rather than being weighed down by expectations, he embraced the moment and produced a performance worthy of the occasion.
Sharp, decisive and influential throughout, Messi led Argentina's attack from start to finish. His display sent a strong message to the rest of the tournament that he remains the heartbeat of this Argentina side and is determined to play a leading role in their bid to retain the World Cup crown.
Messi was visibly emotional after opening the scoring against Algeria, with tears in his eyes as he celebrated.
After the match, the Argentina captain revealed the moment was linked to personal struggles rather than anything football-related.
“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 after the match as he bagged the Player of the Match.
