FIFA World Cup 2026: AFA shares glimpse of Messi's 39th birthday celebration
Missouri, June 25
The Argentina Football Association shared a glimpse of captain Lionel Messi's 39th birthday celebrations amid the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament.
Messi turned 39 on Wednesday, entering a new chapter, a new year of his life. The gesture by the Argentina players underlines the deep admiration and respect Messi commands in the team.
A photograph posted on the team's official X account featured Messi along with other members, as they posed with birthday cakes during the occasion. The team described the moment as the "party's grand finale," marking a special day for the legendary footballer.
Born on June 24, 1987, at the Italian Hospital Garibaldi in Rosario, Santa Fe, Messi marks another year at the peak of his career while remaining a central figure for Argentina in the 2026 World Cup, where he has continued to set new records and further strengthen a legacy that spans generations.
Messi has led Argentina to convincing victories in both of their matches so far, scoring all five goals in those wins. Argentina began their World Cup campaign with a 3-0 win over Algeria, with Messi scoring a hat-trick to power the victory.
In the second match, against Austria, Messi scored a record-breaking brace to guide the defending champions to a 2-0 win over Austria. With his brace, Messi not only secured victory for his side but also rewrote the record books by becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in men's FIFA World Cup history, surpassing Germany's Miroslav Klose.
He opened the scoring in the 38th minute to move past Klose's tally of 16 goals and later added another in stoppage time to take his overall World Cup tally to 18 goals, two ahead of the German legend.
The 39-year-old has also now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches and has equalled the all-time record of six straight World Cup games with a goal, a mark jointly held by France's Just Fontaine and Brazil's Jairzinho.
Messi also set a new record for the most wins by a player in FIFA World Cup history, surpassing German legend Miroslav Klose's tally of 17 victories, with his 18th WC match win.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Love seeing this! From Rosario to World Cup legend - Messi's journey is pure inspiration for any young footballer in India dreaming big. That 5 goals in 2 matches stat is insane. Only question is can he keep this form through knockout stages? 🙏
Happy 39th to the GOAT! 🥳 That "party's grand finale" caption is pure class from the AFA. Records aside, what I admire is how he's still the heartbeat of that team - 6 consecutive World Cup matches with a goal puts him alongside Fontaine and Jairzinho. Football royalty.
Let's be honest - as an Indian football fan, watching Messi at 39 still dominating makes me wonder why our own players can't sustain such longevity. The man scored ALL 5 goals for Argentina in two matches! That's not just talent, it's insane dedication to fitness and craft. Respect where it's due.
Can we just appreciate how Messi has now won 18 World Cup matches - more than any player ever? 🏆 And the way he's leading by example at 39... Argentina are defending champions for a reason. That birthday cake photo with the whole squad is the kind of team spirit that wins tournaments.
One criticism: the article says he's "central figure" but honestly Argentina's attack is too dependent on him. What if he gets injured in knockout stages? 🇦🇷 Still, you can't deny the magic - 18 World Cup goals at 39 is just god-tier. Happy birthday, legend! 🎂