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Argentina's star, Lionel Messi, commented on their dominant 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening World Cup match. The 38-year-old captain, who recently recovered from an injury, netted a hat-trick in the encounter.
“I love playing football; it’s been my passion since childhood. When I’m in good form, I give it my all,” Messi stated.
“The first matches at a World Cup are always tough, and it’s clear that nobody gives you anything for free. This is a very competitive World Cup with exceptionally well-prepared teams,” he added.
“I had some difficult days, which is why I was so emotional. I’m grateful to my teammates, the coaching staff, and the entire national team delegation,” Messi concluded.
He became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in World Cup history, surpassing Ronaldo's record, who was 33 when he achieved the same feat in 2018.
Messi now has 16 goals in World Cup finals, drawing level with Miroslav Klose at the top of the all-time scoring charts.
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