These tears carried a different meaning.
After Lionel Messi scored the first goal of his historic hat trick Tuesday night in Argentina’s World Cup opener, the soccer legend teared up and held his jersey to his eyes.
While those watching may have assumed the emotion of starting his potential last World Cup in such a manner perhaps overwhelmed the 38-year-old, Messi instead offered a cryptic response.
“My tears after the first goal? I’ve had some tough days. It wasn’t related to football. And those feelings were because of that,” Messi said in Spanish after the 3-0 win over Algeria, according to the Associated Press. “I thank my teammates, the coaching staff and the delegation for helping me.”
Messi did not elaborate on the “tough days” he’s experienced leading into his sixth World Cup appearance, and he had his family — wife Antonela Roccuzzo and his three sons, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro — in attendance Tuesday night for his iconic showing.
He dealt with a minor hamstring suffered with Inter Miami before the Cup started, but one would not have known watching him dominate on Tuesday night.
Messi’s three-goal performance now has him tied with Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the most scores in tournament history, and be became the second player to score in five different tournaments, per the AP.
He’s also scored in five straight Cup games.
“It makes me very happy to have lived through everything that came my way. What I’m living though now is the cherry on top,” Messi said, according to the AP.
“I’m very happy an grateful for this wonderful group. I enjoy it so much.”
Messi scored his first goal Tuesday in the 17th minute, added the second in the 60th and registered his first career World Cup hat trick in the 76th minute at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
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He received a standing ovation after leading, and now has at least two more matches — and likely more — in his quest to score his record-breaking 17th World Cup goal.
“This is my sixth World Cup, and I still feel like I’m in good shape,” Messi said, per the AP.
“Fortunately, I’m doing well, and today we managed to win a tough match. It’s important to start the tournament with a victory in the first game, as that’s never easy in a World Cup.”
