The greatest! Messi rewrites World Cup age records
Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
Lionel Messi has become the most prolific World Cup scorer among players over the age of 35.
Details: In the 2026 World Cup group stage match against Austria, Argentina triumphed 2-0, with Messi netting a brace. He now boasts 18 World Cup goals, 12 of which have come after his 35th birthday.
No other player in history has scored more than five World Cup goals after turning 35. Messi's closest challenger in this statistic is Cameroonian legend Roger Milla, who netted five times.
Next up is Frenchman Olivier Giroud with four goals, followed by a handful of others trailing far behind the Argentine icon.
Messi continues to cement his status as one of the greatest footballers in history. Even past 35, the Argentina captain remains the heartbeat of his team and keeps setting unique milestones on the sport's grandest stage.
Reminder: Jürgen Klopp was in attendance for Argentina's match and personally congratulated Lionel Messi after the game
