Lionel Messi has written another chapter in World Cup history by becoming the tournament’s all-time leading goalscorer. The Argentina captain netted his 17th goal during the match against Austria, moving past the previous record of 16 goals held by Germany’s Miroslav Klose.
The 38-year-old Inter Miami forward opened his account at this tournament with a hat-trick in Argentina’s first match against Algeria. His strike against Austria means he has now found the net in six consecutive World Cup appearances, equalling a feat achieved only by France’s Just Fontaine and Brazil’s Jairzinho in 1958.
Closing in on Maradona’s Assist Record
Messi’s creative influence remains equally significant. He currently shares the record for most assists in World Cup history with his idol Diego Maradona, and needs just one more to hold the outright record since tracking began in 1966. The playmaker has also created more chances at the finals than any other player.
An Emotional Campaign
The record-breaking performance comes during a personally challenging period for Messi. He was visibly emotional after scoring in the opening match against Algeria, and his family later revealed that his father is currently dealing with a health-related situation. Messi will turn 39 on Wednesday, yet continues to perform at the highest level.
Defying Expectations
Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney admitted he had doubts about Messi’s ability to dominate another World Cup. “Coming into this World Cup, I pretty much wrote Argentina’s chances off because I didn’t think he could carry on [at that level] for another one,” Rooney said. “The one thing age can never take away from players is their ability with the ball.”
France striker Olivier Giroud, who continues playing top-flight football at 39, believes self-motivation is crucial. “It’s clear just how passionate Messi still is for football and you can tell it’s in his DNA to always be a competitor, and to try and outdo himself more than anyone else,” Giroud explained. “The key thing is still having the desire, the motivation, the passion, to keep going.”
Sports psychologist Michael Caulfield attributes such longevity to mental resilience. “Players know themselves inside out by that age, so there’s not a lot left to teach them about how to manage as they get older,” Caulfield noted. “They have to be willing to spend the whole year working hard on the same things, and if you’ve been doing that for 25 years, that takes huge self-discipline.”