Messi turns 39 at the World Cup as Argentina teammates honour their record-breaking captain

Lionel Messi marked his 39th birthday on Thursday at Argentina’s training base in Kansas City, Missouri, during the 2026 World Cup — a tournament in which he has already broken the all-time scoring record and guided the defending champions into the knockout stage.

Messi has scored every one of Argentina’s goals so far: a hat-trick in their opening win over Algeria and two more in the victory over Austria. His tally of 18 World Cup career goals moves him two clear of both Miroslav Klose and Kylian Mbappé, making him the competition’s all-time top scorer.

His teammates marked the occasion with a gesture that went beyond the customary birthday formalities. Each player wore a T-shirt printed with a personal photograph of themselves alongside Messi, accompanied by a shared message that read: “To the man who changed our lives, gave us unforgettable moments, and made us believe that dreams are possible… The best part wasn’t just seeing it — it was living it with you! Happy birthday, Captain; we love you. May you be immensely happy.”

Forward Julián Álvarez shared the tribute on social media, where Messi also posted a photo of himself with a birthday cake from Pan Caliente, a Kansas City bakery run by an Argentine pastry chef.

The celebrations extended beyond the squad. FIFA, Inter Miami and former club Barcelona all sent birthday messages, while in Messi’s hometown of Rosario, around 5,000 schoolchildren gathered to sing Happy Birthday, with some bringing cakes of their own.

With Argentina already through to the last 16 and their captain in the form of his tournament life, the party atmosphere around the squad shows little sign of fading.