Lionel Messi turns 39 today, but the Argentina captain continues to make history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The football icon celebrates his birthday as the tournament’s all time leading scorer after netting twice in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria.
The win secures Argentina’s place in the knockout stage and sees Messi raise his World Cup tally to 18 goals.
The brace takes him past Germany legend Miroslav Klose’s men’s record of 16 World Cup goals. Messi also moves beyond Brazil star Marta’s overall World Cup mark of 17 goals.
The milestone crowns a remarkable start to the tournament. Messi has scored all five of Argentina’s goals so far. He opened the competition with a hat-trick against Algeria before adding two more against Austria.
His performances have given Argentina supporters plenty to celebrate on his birthday. At 39, Messi remains the focal point of the defending champions’ campaign and continues to deliver on football’s biggest stage.
Despite ongoing questions about his future, Messi says he focuses on his physical condition rather than his age. He insists he will continue playing for as long as he feels capable of helping the team.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has carefully managed his captain’s workload throughout the tournament. The strategy keeps Messi fresh as Argentina chase a second straight World Cup title.
With Argentina through to the knockout rounds and their captain in record-breaking form, belief continues to grow among supporters. On his 39th birthday, Messi once again proves that age is no obstacle to greatness.
