Ageless Messi targets another World Cup record

The Lionel Messi spectacle heads to Dallas on Monday, with the Argentine legend on the verge of yet another milestone as the reigning world champions take on Austria.

Messi, who will celebrate his 39th birthday on Wednesday, struck a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria, drawing level with Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals.

The captain was visibly emotional after opening the scoring, breaking down in tears. It later emerged that his father is recovering from an unspecified health issue.

The Inter Miami star had delayed confirming his participation in the North American tournament until the final stages, but few genuinely believed he would miss Argentina’s bid to defend their title.

Having inspired his country to World Cup glory four years ago, Messi was always likely to be drawn back by the chance to represent Argentina once more on football’s biggest stage.

The climate-controlled home of the Dallas Cowboys provides the ideal backdrop for Argentina’s second Group J fixture and could witness Messi surpass Klose’s long-standing record.

“At the end of the day, it’s just a statistic,” Messi said. “Nothing more.”

A win against Austria would leave Lionel Scaloni’s side on the brink of securing top spot in Group J and a place in the last 32 with a game to spare, potentially allowing Messi valuable rest before the knockout rounds.

Austria, however, are unlikely to make life easy. Under the guidance of Ralf Rangnick, they are also closing in on qualification after a convincing 3-1 victory over tournament debutants Jordan.

While Messi is now revered as a national icon, his relationship with Argentine supporters was not always so straightforward. For years, critics argued that he had not replicated for Argentina the brilliance he consistently displayed during his glittering career at Barcelona.

Today, that debate feels distant. Even as he approaches 40, Messi’s presence continues to inspire teammates both on and off the field.

“If anyone believed this team would be better without Leo, today proved that he is the most important player among us,” midfielder Alexis Mac Allister said following the win over Algeria.

Though Messi no longer covers the ground he once did and now picks his moments more carefully, his teammates are more than willing to shoulder the hard work so he can make the difference when it matters most.

Scaloni, who shared a dressing room with Messi at his first World Cup in 2006, has built a team perfectly suited to maximizing his captain’s influence.

“He’s surrounded by friends, by players who would give everything for him,” Scaloni said.

“When they need to speak with him, they can simply walk up to him. It’s difficult to describe what he brings to the group. You have to experience it yourself to truly understand the atmosphere he creates.”

Unlike Portugal, where Cristiano Ronaldo’s advancing years have posed challenges for coach Roberto Martínez, Argentina’s squad has openly embraced the responsibility of helping Messi produce moments of magic.

“He’s been my idol since childhood,” forward Julián Álvarez told DAZN. “Naturally, you want to give something back.”

Midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, Messi’s teammate at Inter Miami, perhaps summed it up best: “If he asked you to go to war, you’d go.”