Lionel Messi will turn 39 on Wednesday, yet the Argentina captain is starring at the 2026 World Cup with five goals in two matches. That puts him atop the tournament scoring chart and, according to the article, at the top of the World Cup all-time scoring list as well. Argentina’s latest match included a 3-0 win over Algeria and a Messi hat trick.
The piece asks how he is still doing it at this age. Olivier Giroud, who beat Messi with France in the round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, said Messi’s love of football and competitiveness remain central. Giroud said a player at this level needs “a perfect lifestyle” in sleep, nutrition and body care, but that the most important factors are “the desire, motivation and passion to keep going.”
Sports psychologist Michael Caulfield, quoted by the BBC and said to have worked in professional football for more than 20 years, said older players know themselves better and benefit from advances in sports science. But he added that the real challenge is mental, because they must keep doing the same work every day for decades, endure repeated injury rehabilitation, and keep pushing even after winning everything. He compared that drive to artists like Bruce Springsteen and Madonna still touring because they love what they do.
Wayne Rooney, who is a little more than a year older than Messi and has been retired for five years, also weighed in. He said he had almost written off Argentina before the tournament, but Messi’s touch around the box still makes him special and could carry him through to the end. Rooney added that he would not be surprised to see Messi at another World Cup. The article closes by noting Cristiano Ronaldo’s difficulties, with Rooney saying, “He must be burning with frustration,” while adding that Ronaldo, even at 41, still expects to be the top scorer. Rooney said Messi and Ronaldo have pushed each other for years, and that the next generation, led by Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, now has to try to take their crown.
