Messi praises Brazil legend Ronaldo despite hat-trick

Argentina has made a great start to the 2026 World Cup. Captain Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick in the opening match against Algeria to give the team a big 3-0 win. However, the Argentine superstar said that he was going through a difficult time personally behind the outstanding performance on the field.

After being awarded the man of the match at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Messi said that he had been facing some mental challenges recently. However, the support of the team's coaching staff, teammates and fans has given him strength.

Argentina was in control from the start of the match. Messi opened the scoring with a great long-range shot in the first half. He completed his hat-trick by scoring two more goals in the second half. The current champions started their World Cup campaign with an easy victory thanks to his skills.

However, the Argentina captain is reluctant to be complacent even after the big victory. According to him, every match in the World Cup is difficult and every opponent is well prepared. So, bigger challenges await ahead.

While revealing the secret of maintaining the same hunger and enthusiasm on the field even at the age of 38, Messi said that football is still his biggest love. He tries to give his best in every match because he enjoys the game.

Messi was also modest about his personal records. Although he has risen further in the list of highest scorers in the history of the World Cup, he believes that the team's success is more important than these statistics.

He proved once again that age is just a number by scoring a hat-trick in his first match of the World Cup. When he takes the field, he is still Argentina's biggest hope and one of the wonders of the football world.