Lionel Messi, at a ridiculous 39 years old, is tearing up his sixth World Cup for Argentina, and he's leading the defending champions into a massive semifinal clash against England on Wednesday afternoon. Can you believe this guy?
Eight Goals, Pure Magic, and a Dynasty on the Line
Argentina is already riding high, coming in as the reigning World Cup champs from 2022 and scooping up the Copa América in 2024. Talk about a dynasty! But even with all that hardware, Messi is the engine, and he's showing up big time in this 2026 tournament. Through only six matches, he's bagged an insane eight goals, which is tied for the most in the whole darn tournament with France's Kylian Mbappé. Seriously, he's also chipped in two assists. He even put up a hat-trick against Algeria on June 16 and then followed it up with a brace against Austria on June 22. This legend has found the net in five of Argentina's six matches so far. Over his six World Cup appearances for Argentina, Messi has racked up a combined 21 goals and eight assists. It's just wild to see him play at this level at his age, pulling his squad through.Future On The Pitch? Messi Speaks Out
The big question swirling around is, how long can this man keep going? Messi himself said back in June he's going to keep playing until he "can’t anymore," which, given his current form, might be never! And when someone asked him about the 2030 World Cup, he was clear, saying he’ll play "as long as he can contribute, feel good physically and help his teammates." That's the mindset of a true champion, right? When he's not busy making history for Argentina, Messi has been absolutely lights out for Inter Miami in MLS for the last four seasons. He only played six games in 2023, but from 2024-25, he was averaging a ridiculous 24.5 goals and 13.5 assists per season. Even with the MLS season paused for the World Cup this year, he had already put up 12 goals and seven assists through only 14 games in 2026. Oh, and yeah, he led Inter Miami to the 2025 MLS championship, too. The guy's got eight Ballon d'Or awards and 13 Domestic League titles. It's almost unfair. He and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo are the only two players to ever appear in six World Cups. Pure greatness. So, Wednesday's semifinal against England isn't just another game for Argentina; it's a chance for Messi to extend this absolutely incredible run and keep that dynasty rolling. You know we'll be glued to the screen, watching every single play, wondering if this truly is the GOAT's last dance on the biggest stage. Don't miss it!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.