2 min readJun 18, 2026 06:10 AM IST First published on: Jun 18, 2026 at 06:10 AM ISTLionel Messi is no longer supposed to be doing this. Football celebrates youth and worships speed. Messi will turn 39 on June 24. Yet, the goals keep coming, as he showed during his 11th international hat-trick against Algeria — his first at the World Cup. He began the night chasing Kylian Mbappé’s World Cup goal-scoring record. The French superstar’s brace against Senegal took his tally to 14. Messi hunted down that mark and levelled German great Miroslav Klose’s all-time record of 16 World Cup goals.Reducing Messi’s longevity to goals and assists, however, misses the larger point. What separates him now from the other greats is not the explosive acceleration that once left defenders stumbling, but an almost supernatural understanding of the game. He sees spaces before they appear, recognises patterns before they develop and dictates matches without needing to dominate every moment.AdvertisementIn this World Cup, Mbappé and Erling Haaland have lit up the tournament with two goals each. But it’s Messi who seems to be stealing the show. Tougher challenges await Messi and Argentina. But this performance adds heft to their title defence. The years may have inevitably taken something away from Messi. But they have also revealed another version of the legend: Calmer, wiser and perhaps even more influential.