Lionel Messi opened his sixth World Cup with a performance that blended the sublime and the deeply personal, scoring a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria in Kansas City to draw level with Miroslav Klose as the tournament’s all-time leading marksman on 16 goals. The 38-year-old’s first World Cup treble, struck in the 17th, 60th and 76th minutes, was immediately overshadowed by the sight of him wiping away tears after the opening goal. Messi later explained the emotion was “completely unrelated to football”, attributing it to “difficult, complicated days” he had endured. While he did not elaborate, reports in Argentine media pointed to a serious health concern affecting his father, Jorge Messi, lending a sombre undertone to an otherwise triumphant night that also marked his 200th international cap and made him the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick.

In the same Group J, Austria secured their first World Cup win in 36 years with a 3-1 defeat of debutants Jordan in Santa Clara. Romano Schmid’s early thunderbolt gave Ralf Rangnick’s side the lead, but Jordan equalised through Ali Olwan’s historic first World Cup goal shortly after the interval. An own goal by Yazan Al-Arab and a stoppage-time penalty from Marko Arnautovic eventually settled a nervy contest. The result leaves Austria level on three points with Argentina, trailing only on goal difference, and sets up a pivotal meeting between the two in Dallas on 22 June that will likely determine the group winner and shape the path to the new round of 32.

Global reaction to Messi’s display was immediate and reverential. Across Europe, Spanish dailies AS and Marca led with “¡Histórico Messi!” and “Brutal”, while France’s L’Équipe declared him “the greatest goalscorer in history”. Italian commentators marvelled at his longevity, and British broadsheets catalogued the records he had equalled or broken. In the Americas, Brazilian outlets celebrated his feat while noting the shadow of Mbappé’s earlier brace for France, and Argentine newspapers framed the night as another golden page in a legend that has exhausted superlatives. Asian and Middle Eastern coverage focused as much on the tears as the goals, capturing the human dimension that transcended sport.

Viewed from a tactical perspective, Argentina’s performance was not flawless—Algeria’s organisation and intensity caused problems—but Messi’s individual brilliance proved decisive, reinforcing the sense that the defending champions remain reliant on their captain’s genius. The upcoming clash with an Austria side that topped its qualifying group and has rediscovered tournament resilience will test whether Scaloni’s evolving team can share the creative burden. With the expanded 48-team format offering multiple paths to the knockout phase, a victory would all but secure progress, yet the emotional undercurrent surrounding Messi’s private life adds an unpredictable variable. For now, the football world is left to contemplate a player who, at nearly 39, continues to redefine the possible, his tears a reminder that even immortals carry human weight.