Lionel Messi's tears during the Argentina 2026 World Cup opener were said to be caused by a serious ongoing health emergency involving his dad and longtime agent Jorge Messi, instead of any personal or career-threatening illness of his own.
The emotional breakdown arose yesterday, moments after Messi scored a brilliant long-range goal to open Argentina's 3-0 group stage victory against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium. Despite the celebration of scoring a historic World Cup hat-trick, the immense weight of his dad's deteriorating health caused the superstar player to weep on the pitch.
Reports from prominent Argentinian media outlets shared how the reality behind the tears was his dad, Jorge Messi, and were not related to sports. He handles his son's multi-million-pound commercial empire and has been silently battling serious health conditions. His health deteriorated during the week leading up to the tournament, leaving the captain very drained emotionally.