Lionel Messi continues to shine at 2026 World Cup as Argentina chase more glory

Ahead of Argentina's clash with Jordan astatine the 2026 World Cup, Sports Mole's Senior Reporter discusses a definite Lionel Messi.

Oliver Thomas, Senior Reporter: 'Very fewer superlatives near to picture Messi'

There are precise fewer superlatives near to picture Messi astatine this point. He is present the all-time grounds goalscorer astatine the World Cup with 18 goals, eclipsing Miroslav Klose's 16 for Germany. 

That is 5 goals successful 2 games astatine this tournament, 1 up of some Haaland and Mbappe connected 4 each. 

The opening extremity against Austria came from a well-worked determination successful which Facundo Medina picked up the shot connected the left, chopped it back, and a astute dummy from Thiago Almada allowed Messi to spot a trademark left-footed decorativeness into the bottommost corner.

Right astatine the extremity of the 2nd half, Messi someway squeezed successful a 2nd extremity from a choky space with respective Austrian players backmost connected the line. As helium has done successful 7 of Argentina's past 9 World Cup games, helium made the quality erstwhile again. 

He present joins France's Just Fontaine and Brazil's Jairzinho arsenic the lone 3 players to people successful six consecutive World Cup games, including 4 matches astatine the Qatar tournament.

Those latest heroics besides took spot connected the fortieth day of Maradona's wonderment extremity against England. Argentina are done arsenic radical winners, and Lionel Scaloni is apt to measurement up making a fig of changes. 

Messi himself whitethorn privation to commencement to adhd to his World Cup scoring grounds and marque it that small spot harder for Mbappe to situation him. 

On the different hand, this represents a bully accidental to remainder Messi and different cardinal players to support them caller for the knockout rounds. 

At 39, the question of whether helium tin proceed playing 90 minutes regularly successful an expanded tournament, successful the heat, is legitimate. 

The remainder periods betwixt radical games are not important either. Messi volition astir apt inactive start, though helium whitethorn not play the afloat crippled depending connected however things develop. Those who person bought tickets for this crippled volition beryllium hopeless to spot him play.