Argentina celebrates Messi's 39th birthday at World Cup camp – and his goal record

Congratulations from the federation, club, and homeland

Paris Saint-Germain, where Messi had been under contract after his departure from Barcelona between summer 2021 and summer 2023, also sent congratulations. The club wrote simply: "39 years old. How small we were…" Argentine TV host Rodolfo Barili had previously asked in an Instagram appeal to bring Messi a birthday serenade everywhere: "In the classrooms, at work, on the bus, on the balcony, in the living room, wherever you are."

Not only the celebration, but also Messi's sporting record is in the spotlight. With now 18 World Cup goals, he has surpassed the previous record holder Miroslav Klose and is the sole all-time leading scorer in World Cup history. In the 3-0 win against Algeria and the 2-0 win against Austria, Messi scored all of his team's goals and underscored his exceptional status right at the start of the final round.

Record: 18 World Cup goals – Klose surpassed

Messi had already celebrated his birthday with the national team at the 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018 World Cups. In the title year 2022, the final round in Qatar had been pushed back to November and December, so his special day that year fell outside the tournament. This year, the date falls right in the middle of the World Cup group stage, which explains the special atmosphere in the Argentine camp.

Birthday in the fifth World Cup camp

His teammates emphasized that Messi still appears as focused as ever despite the record chase. After the opening win against Austria, he had stressed that it was up to the team as a whole to make history – and saw himself only as part of this collective. It is precisely this mixture of modesty and exceptional class that has made him an figure of identification for an entire country over two decades.

Looking ahead to the upcoming tasks in the group stage, Messi is expected to play in the next group match as well. Should he continue his goal-scoring streak, he could further extend the record in the coming weeks. For Argentina, after the performances so far, only one thing matters anyway: successfully defending the title from Qatar.