“And this week there were some situations that slightly worsened his health, and Messi is going through this internal struggle.
Lionel Messi was seen in tears after scoring his first goal against Algeria at the Fifa World Cup. Photo / Getty Images
“In other words, like any human being.”
It has been reported that 68-year-old Jorge Messi was hospitalised after a medical episode in January, and has supposedly undergone cardiovascular and neurological tests.
No official diagnosis has been shared by the family.
Lionel’s wife Antonela and their children watched as his hat-trick against Algeria made him the World Cup’s joint all-time leading goal-scorer. He said he was happy to reach the milestone with them in the stands.
“To enjoy this with my family, with my teammates, the ones who are always there, is a really beautiful moment.
“I’m happy.”
He also spoke positively of the Argentina squad that is aiming to become the first to win back-to-back World Cup titles for their country since Brazil in 1962.
“The squad, it’s a very united, very strong group,” he said.
“I feel good; we were lucky enough to win a tough match.
“It’s important to start off with a win in the first game.
“I’m grateful to the fans, because once again they’ve shown that Argentina is crazy about this – we packed the stadium again.”
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