On June 24, Lionel Messi celebrated his 39th birthday, and his Argentina teammates honored him with personalized shirts showcasing photos of themselves alongside the football icon, as reported by ESPN FC's X account. This heartfelt gesture reflects the immense respect and admiration Messi holds within the team.

The Argentina Football Association (AFA) also conveyed their birthday greetings to the captain. Notably, the team chefs, Diego Lacovone and Antonia Farias, who share the same birthday as Messi, were also acknowledged in a post on X.

The AFA's post read, "Happy birthday to our Captain Leo Messi and our chefs Diego Iacovone and Antonia Farias! May they always be happy!" The message was accompanied by a celebratory image.

Messi, born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Santa Fe, continues to shine at the pinnacle of his career, playing a crucial role for Argentina in the ongoing 2026 World Cup. He has been instrumental in setting new records and enhancing a legacy that resonates across generations.

So far, Messi has led Argentina to impressive victories in both of their matches, netting all five goals in these triumphs. The team's World Cup journey commenced with a commanding 3-0 win against Algeria, where Messi scored a hat-trick.

In their second match against Austria, Messi added to his tally with a record-breaking brace, securing a 2-0 victory for the defending champions.

With his two goals against Austria, Messi not only clinched the win for his team but also made history by becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in men's FIFA World Cup history, surpassing Germany's Miroslav Klose. He broke the record by scoring in the 38th minute, moving past Klose's previous total of 16 goals, and later added another in stoppage time, bringing his overall World Cup goals to 18.

At 39, Messi has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches, equaling the record for the most consecutive World Cup games with a goal, a feat shared with France's Just Fontaine and Brazil's Jairzinho.

Additionally, Messi has achieved a new milestone for the most wins by a player in FIFA World Cup history, surpassing Miroslav Klose's record of 17 victories with his 18th match win.