Messi’s tears – Lionel Messi’s rare World Cup emotion in Kansas City after scoring a first-ever hat-trick against Algeria is being explained by details of a serious health problem involving his father Jorge, who has been unwell for months and reportedly suffered a medical epi
Lionel Messi’s tears in Kansas City arrived right after the moment his World Cup script seemed to click into place. He scored his first ever World Cup hat-trick to help Argentina secure a 3-0 win over Algeria in their opening game. finding the net four times across his run—his first “goal” was ruled out for offside. but the night still belonged to him. Then. after the final touches of celebration. emotion broke through in a way that stunned even those used to his controlled presence.
Speaking after the match, Messi kept his explanation tight. “No, honestly it’s something completely unrelated to sports. It’s been a few difficult days, complicated,” he said. He revealed he was watched by his wife and their three children as the performance unfolded. but he did not expand on what he was dealing with on the field.
Hours later, the reason behind those tears was clarified in detail by Argentine media. Journalist Eduardo Feinmann explained in an interview on Radio Mitre that the situation “has to do with his father.” Feinmann said Jorge Messi “is not in good health. ” describing that the decline had been going on “for quite some time now. ” with the coverage stating “several months. since last year.”.
The worsening, according to that account, came this week. Feinmann described that “there were some situations that slightly worsened his health,” and that Messi was carrying an “internal struggle,” framed as something any human being would experience.
Jorge Messi, 68, is not just Lionel Messi’s father. He also operates as his agent and de facto business manager. overseeing the multi-million dollar empire off the field that has grown around his son. Their closeness is a defining part of Messi’s public story. and the new details of Jorge’s health have brought that private bond into sharp focus.
Reportedly, Jorge suffered a medical episode at his home in January of this year and was hospitalized afterward. After that hospitalization, he underwent cardiovascular and neurological tests, but no official diagnosis has been shared by the family. Until now, Jorge’s health had been kept out of the media.
The same personal backdrop sits alongside the World Cup moment itself. In Kansas City on Tuesday night. Messi scored. watched by Antonela Roccuzzo and their children—Thiago. Mateo and Ciro—and reminded the world that he remains among the very best. It was also a historic night for his international career: Messi spoke about the experience as “amazing” and referenced it being his 200th cap for Argentina.
When he expanded on the feelings of the evening, his words returned to gratitude and perspective. Messi said: “I had some difficult. complicated days. but I’m grateful to the entire delegation. to all my teammates because they were always by my side. as always. giving me a lot of strength to be okay. and that’s all.”.
He then added that the experience has been beyond what he could have imagined as a child. tying together success on the pitch with what he is experiencing now. “Like I say, everything I’m experiencing now is amazing. I was lucky enough to achieve all my dreams. at a level. or even more. than I could have reached individually and as part of a team. Today I’m enjoying this. being part of a wonderful group. feeling good. and thankfully. being able to enjoy it on the field the way I’ve always loved to. And honestly, everything I’ve experienced is so much more than I could have imagined when I was a kid.”.
Messi’s family life adds another layer to the distance between the stadium and the crisis. Lionel is the third of four children of Jorge and Celia Cuccittini. Celia and Jorge have been married since 1978. and the couple still remain together. with the family reportedly splitting time between Rosario and Miami. where Lionel currently plays football.
Before becoming Lionel’s agent, Jorge worked for a steel manufacturer in Villa Constitucion and met his wife, Celia, as a young man in Rosario, where the family later grew up. Messi has two older brothers, Rodrigo and Matias, and a younger sister, Maria Sol.
After this week’s reported health setback. the public understanding of Messi’s tears is now clear: the emotion that surfaced after Algeria went on the score sheet was tied to something at home. involving his father’s decline—an issue that has reportedly been unfolding for months. worsened this week. and remained carefully shielded from view until the World Cup moment forced it into the open.
Lionel Messi Jorge Messi Argentina World Cup Algeria Kansas City Radio Mitre Eduardo Feinmann father health tears