All of Messi's record-breaking 17 World Cup goals
When Lionel Messi scored a trademark left-footed curler in Argentina's second World Cup match against Austria, he was not only giving his team a strong start but also making history. The 38-year-old became the World Cup's all-time leading goalscorer, reaffirming his status as one of football's greatest.
Messi has started the tournament impressively as Argentina defends their title. After a hat-trick in the opening game and breaking the scoring record in the second, he is a strong contender for the Golden Boot, an individual award he has yet to win, with a third game against Jordan pending.
He has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches, a feat only matched by France's Just Fontaine and Brazil's Jairzinho in 1958. No player has scored in seven straight matches.
The Inter Miami forward has also created the most chances in World Cup history and is one assist away from surpassing all others since records began in 1966, according to Opta. He currently shares this record with his idol, Diego Maradona.
While a new generation of stars like Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and Vinicius Jr are making their marks, they must outperform Messi to claim the crown.
So how does Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday and has played in Major League Soccer for three years, continue to deliver outstanding performances on football's biggest stage?
Watch as Argentina lead Austria through goal from record-breaking Messi
Messi becomes all-time leading World Cup scorer
'I didn't think Messi could still do it'
After Argentina's exit in a seven-goal thriller against France in 2018, when Messi was 31, many thought his era of defining World Cup performances was over. However, four years later, he captained Argentina to the trophy in Qatar, scoring seven goals. With four more goals in the current tournament, he became the first player to score in six consecutive World Cup matches.
Olivier Giroud, part of the 2018 France team and still active in Ligue 1 at 39, relates to Messi's situation. He believes a player's competition with themselves is more important than focusing on younger players.
"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 says.
"Playing at a high level at our age, you have to pay close attention to your life hygiene - how you sleep, your diet, and taking care of your body, because that's the thing you rely on for work.
"The key thing is still having the desire, the motivation, the passion, to keep going."
Messi is not alone among global sports stars continuing to challenge younger rivals into their late 30s; tennis player Novak Djokovic is a notable example. This requires relentless dedication to fitness and strong self-belief.
Michael Caulfield, a sports psychologist with over 20 years in professional football, explains the mental and physical demands.
"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," he says.
"From a physical point of view, they take advantage of every breakthrough in sports science.
"But mentally, it's about whether they have the capacity in their minds to deal with the daily grind. 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.
"They have to maintain the sheer will to go through the rehab process after injuries when they know they've already won everything.
"All the top athletes I've ever known, they're all willing to try and go back one more time, because they love doing what they do.
"It's the same reason you still see Bruce Springsteen or Madonna touring - it is completely intrinsic to who these stars are."
Messi has now scored 17 goals in 28 World Cup matches, surpassing the previous record held by Germany's Miroslav Klose, who scored 16.
His exceptional ball control has compensated for any decline in athleticism over time.
"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," says Wayne Rooney, who faced Messi in Champions League finals with Manchester United.
"The one thing age can never take away from players is their ability with the ball. You put him around the penalty box and he has the ability to do things others can't.
"It'll be interesting to see whether it can last the rest of the tournament. [If it does] then it wouldn't surprise me if we see him in the next World Cup for Argentina as well."
'Messi loves football like a little boy'
Messi was visibly emotional after scoring the opener in Argentina's first match against Algeria. In the days following, his family released a statement revealing that his father is "dealing with a health-related situation."
Generally known for his reserved and humble demeanor, Messi has occasionally shown a willingness to embrace his stardom, such as when he lifted his own shirt in front of Real Madrid fans after scoring a late winner in an El Clasico in 2017.
His former Barcelona teammate Cesc Fabregas commented on Messi's competitive nature in the BBC documentary Rivals: Messi vs Ronaldo.
"When he crosses the white line, he is a very different person," Fabregas said. "He wants to win at any cost."
This relentless desire to succeed can sustain a sports career long after a star has achieved everything possible, alongside a genuine love for the game.
"Athletes always think there's something left to achieve," says Caulfield. "They're wondering if there is something they haven't quite mastered yet.
"But more than anything they want to keep feeling that childlike joy of doing what they love. You see Messi still doing keepy-ups or a rondo, and he still loves football like a little boy."
Messi's outstanding performances contrast with those of his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who is playing in his sixth World Cup with Portugal. The 41-year-old had little impact in Portugal's opening draw with DR Congo, and those close to him believe Messi's display has affected him.
"Ronaldo will have been fuming," Rooney says. "Even at 41 he will still be expecting to be top goalscorer. But that attitude is part of his own greatness. The two of them have spurred each other on.
"They have this self-belief and arrogance, in a good way, where they know what they have done, have nothing to prove, and it's up to the likes of Mbappe and Haaland to prove they can take over."
