After Argentina’s emphatic 3-0 victory over Algeria on Tuesday night, midfielder Ibrahim Maza of Algeria and Bayern Munich stepped up to address the media, looking fatigued yet reflective.
Maza had a notable performance, contributing to Algeria’s disallowed first goal and witnessing Lionel Messi’s incredible display just yards away. When asked to elaborate on Messi’s unmatchable prowess that evening, he simply stated, “I don’t think I need to explain to you [what that means]. I think you just have to watch the game and then you’ll know what I mean by Messi things. He can decide the game on his own, as we saw today.”
Messi indeed took control of the match, scoring three precise goals that helped secure Argentina’s advancement to the knockout round.
Remarkably, this performance occurred exactly 20 years after he netted his first World Cup goal for Argentina. That initial strike, which took place during Argentina’s 2006 tournament opener against Serbia and Montenegro, saw a young Messi with a distinct mop of hair, showcasing extraordinary speed and skill. He darted through defenders, delivering a powerful shot that marked his arrival on the world stage.
That day, he became Argentina’s youngest World Cup goalscorer, and on Tuesday, he set a new record as the oldest, surpassing the previous benchmark held by Martin Palermo by over two years. Although Messi’s pace has diminished with age, his sharp intellect and ability to navigate tight spaces remain exceptional. He continues to captivate audiences.
Shortly after Maza exited the press area, Messi appeared, grinning while holding a Michelob Ultra “Superior Player of the Match” trophy, likely the least significant award he has ever received.
Messi, known for his competitive spirit, often downplays individual accolades, a sentiment he echoed on Tuesday.
“Honestly [the record doesn’t matter],” he told a group of reporters. “It’s an honor to be there, for what it means to be next to Klose, [Brazilian] Ronaldo is also there. [Kylian] Mbappé too, he scored twice today. At the end of the day it’s just a statistic and nothing more.”
While it’s tempting to question the sincerity of Messi’s humility, his competitive nature is undeniable. The mere mention of Mbappé’s earlier goals and those on the scoring list reveals his awareness and interest.
Rodrigo De Paul, Messi’s teammate at both Argentina and Inter Miami, humorously commented on Messi’s record when asked.
“I swear he doesn’t care. Sometimes we’ll be in a room drinking mate and we’ll tell him ‘hey man, you’re just one away or two away’ or whatever. And I swear he has no idea. I don’t know how that works.”
Messi exited the match after 80 minutes to thunderous applause from the nearly 70,000 fans in attendance, who chanted his name as he acknowledged the crowd by raising his arms. Coach Lionel Scaloni met him at the touchline, visibly emotional and struggling to hold back tears as he sat beside Messi on the bench. This emotional display was evident again after Messi’s third goal and later on the field as Argentine fans celebrated their team’s success.
“There are no words; anything I say would be superfluous,” Scaloni remarked after the match. “It’s what he’s been doing for 20 years, it’s what the people of this sport want to see.”
“What makes me the happiest is that I feel like he’s enjoying it. That he doesn’t feel the weight of the pressure that he felt for so long. Everyone knows his mentality. He doesn’t let himself enjoy things much because he’s always focused in helping us and the team. But I see him good now, I see him happy. That’s contagious among the group.” De Paul added. “What makes me the happiest is that I feel like he’s enjoying it. That he doesn’t feel the weight of the pressure that he felt for so long. Everyone knows his mentality. He doesn’t let himself enjoy things much because he’s always focused in helping us and the team. But I see him good now, I see him happy. That’s contagious among the group.”
Messi’s joy was unmistakable on Tuesday night. His beaming smile after each goal mirrored that of the 19-year-old who scored for the first time two decades ago. After the final whistle, he lingered on the pitch, waving to fans and embracing teammates. Even as he walked toward the team bus in the early hours, a warm smile remained on his face.
