Lionel Messi stood on the pitch in tears, moments after scoring his first goal of the 2026 World Cup – a moment that should have been pure joy, but instead revealed a deeply personal struggle. The Argentina captain had just equalled the all-time record for most World Cup goals, yet his mind was elsewhere. "It's something completely unrelated to sports," he said later. "It's been a few difficult days, complicated."
Messi, now 39 years old, inspired Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup, scoring a hat-trick. With those three goals, he matched the legendary Miroslav Klose's record of 16 goals in World Cup finals – a feat Klose achieved across four tournaments. Messi's hat-trick was his first in a World Cup, and it came as Argentina began their title defence after winning the 2022 tournament.
“Lionel Messi equalled the World Cup goals record but wept due to his father's illness – explained.”
But the emotion that overwhelmed Messi was not purely about football. According to an insider cited by Argentine journalist Eduardo Feinmann on the radio station Radio Mitre, Messi's father, Jorge, is struggling with a serious health problem. Feinmann reported that Jorge has been unwell for several months, and that a recent worsening of his condition left Messi "going through this internal struggle, like any human being." Jorge, who has been a massive influence on Messi's career, continues to act as his agent and business manager. Reports indicate he suffered a "medical episode" in January and has undergone cardiovascular and neurological tests, though no diagnosis has been made public. Messi himself confirmed the difficulties: "I had some difficult, complicated days, but I'm grateful to the entire delegation, to all my team-mates because they were always by my side."
Why does this matter for UK readers? The World Cup is one of the biggest sporting events in Britain, and tens of millions of fans follow it every four years. Messi is widely considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, and his pursuit of the goals record has been a major storyline since he surpassed Pelé's tally in 2022. With Klose's record now in reach, every goal he scores will make history. But the human side – the personal toll on a legendary athlete – adds a layer of empathy that resonates far beyond football. UK viewers watching the tournament will see a player balancing unprecedented achievement with private heartache, a reminder that even icons face struggles.
Q: How many World Cup goals has Lionel Messi scored, and what record does he hold? Messi has scored 16 World Cup goals, equalling Miroslav Klose's all-time record. He reached that mark with a hat-trick against Algeria on 17 June 2026. He is now the joint top scorer in World Cup history.
Q: Why was Lionel Messi crying during the match against Algeria? Messi became emotional after scoring because his father, Jorge, is seriously unwell. Messi said the tears were due to "something completely unrelated to sports" and that he had been going through "difficult, complicated days." Reports from Argentina indicate Jorge has been in poor health for months and recently worsened.
Q: Who is the current all-time top World Cup goalscorer ahead of Messi? Messi is now level with Miroslav Klose (Germany) on 16 goals. No one has more. The next closest active player is Kylian Mbappe, who is close behind and could challenge the record in future tournaments.
What happens next? Messi will continue Argentina's World Cup campaign, with the group stage and knockout rounds ahead. He has a chance to surpass Klose's record outright in the coming matches. Meanwhile, his father's health remains a private concern that Messi has chosen not to discuss in detail. The football world will watch both his on-pitch performances and his personal resilience.