In the realm of sport, there are moments when statistics cease to be mere numbers and transform into pure poetry. Lionel Messi reached this extraordinary threshold last Monday in Arlington, Texas, causing the entire world to pause and witness history unfold before it.
With a perfectly curved left-foot finish in the 38th minute against Austria, followed by a determined rebound goal deep in stoppage time, Messi became the highest all-time scorer in FIFA World Cup history. This achievement transcends gender boundaries, making him the greatest among everyone, not just men. His 17th and 18th tournament goals propelled him past Germany’s legendary Miroslav Klose, Brazil’s women’s icon Marta, and into territory no player, male or female, has ever occupied before. At 38 years old, he is accomplishing this right now, defying all expectations of what athletes typically achieve at that age.
The record-breaking journey began long before most Canadians had settled into their World Cup viewing routines. During Argentina’s tournament opener against Algeria on June 16, Messi delivered his first-ever World Cup hat-trick, tying Klose’s long-standing record of 16 goals. At 38 years and 357 days, Messi became the oldest player ever to score a World Cup hat-trick, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo who was 33 when he scored against Spain in 2018. Six days later against Austria, he struck again. Messi entered that match with 16 goals and missed a penalty in the ninth minute, briefly denying him the outright record, but the miss only intensified what came next. He curled home from a cutback in the 38th minute, then added a late second in the 2-0 win, bringing his all-time total to 18.
Five goals in two games, eighteen across six World Cups, and the record is definitively his. To truly understand the magnitude of what Messi has achieved, one must consider the twenty-year career that brought him here. Messi scored his first World Cup goal on June 16, 2006, at just 18 years old against Serbia and Montenegro. Twenty years later, he continues to break records as the first player to feature in six different editions of a men’s World Cup. He is also the second man in World Cup history to score four or more goals in three different tournament editions, after Miroslav Klose who did it in 2002, 2006, and 2010. Remarkably, he has joined Roger Milla as the only men to score four or more goals in a single World Cup while aged 38 or older.
His teammates have run out of words to describe his impact. As midfielder Alexis Mac Allister said after the Austria win, if anyone thought this group was better off without Leo, today it became clear that Leo is the most important of them all. The record may not remain safe for long, as Kylian Mbappé now has 16 career World Cup goals, sitting second all-time behind only Messi’s 18. The French captain is still very much in this tournament, and with France looking like genuine contenders, the gap could narrow quickly. For now, however, Messi leads, and the question remains how many more he can add before his final World Cup comes to a close.
Beyond the spectacle, there is a practical reason for Canadian soccer fans to pay close attention to Messi’s form. Argentina are potential opponents deep in this tournament. The defending world champions have won all their group matches, conceded zero goals, and look every bit like the team to beat. If Canada navigates their way through the round of 32 and beyond, Messi and Argentina could be waiting. Understanding what they are facing—a 38-year-old playing the soccer of his life, surrounded by a squad of world-class talent—is not just interesting but essential. Watch tonight’s Argentina vs. Jordan at 10 p.m. ET on TSN. Messi will almost certainly be on the pitch, and if recent form is any guide, history may be made again.