Lionel Messi gets emotional during FIFA World Cup due to father's declining health: reports

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi became visibly emotional during the FIFA Club World Cup right after he scored in Argentina's opening match against Algeria. As it turns out, the moment may have had less to do with football and more to do with a difficult situation involving his family.

Per People, Messi revealed after the match that his tears were "something completely unrelated to sports." However, he remained tight-lipped on the matter, simply saying that it's "been a few difficult days."

Argentine journalist Eduardo Feinmann later claimed on Radio Mitre that the footballer has been dealing with a serious health concern involving his 68-year-old father, Jorge Messi. The latter has reportedly been battling an undisclosed illness for several months now, with his condition worsening in the week before Argentina's World Cup opener.

"This has to do with his father. His father is not in good health for quite some time now, several months, since last year," Feinmann said.

"This week there were situations that slightly worsened his condition, and Messi is going through this internal struggle. Like any human being would," he added.

@noticiasdelfutbolcanal Leo Messi llorando de la emoción por su gol 😭 #leomessi #messi #mundial #argentina #futbol ♬ sonido original - Noticias del Futbol

Local media outlets also reported that Jorge, who has been serving as his son's agent and business manager, had to undergo cardiovascular and neurological examinations in January after suffering from a medical emergency at his home.

Messi appeared to not let the weight of his family situation get in the way of his performance on the pitch, however, as he went on to deliver a victory for Argentina in a 3-0 match against Algeria.

The athlete expressed his gratitude to his teammates as they were always by his side giving him a lot of strength.

"Today I'm enjoying this, being part of a wonderful group, feeling good and, thankfully, still being able to enjoy football on the field the way I've always loved to. Everything I've experienced is so much more than I could have imagined when I was a child," he said.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup began on June 11 and is scheduled to conclude on July 19. Argentina is the defending champion, having won its third World Cup in 2022.