If we talk about Lionel Messi's class and stature, I think it is very difficult to find any beautiful words to describe it. What he has done in his career has almost gone beyond all the usual limits of football. And what is surprising is that at the age of 39, at the 6th World Cup in his career, Messi is still performing football at the highest level.
Through the first 2 matches at the 2026 World Cup, Messi continues to prove that he is still the center of the Argentine national team's play. Not only scoring goals continuously, Messi also creates a very large influence on the operation of the whole team. After the most recent match, Messi himself also admitted that everything is happening in a very special way. Perhaps even Messi himself can hardly imagine that he can still maintain his form and class at the present time.
What impressed me most was not simply the goals. Messi always appears at the most important moments of the match, in the right place, at the right time, in the areas where opportunities are most likely to appear. Looking back at Messi's goals from the beginning of the tournament, especially the match against Austria, it can be seen that he always finds the optimal position to make a difference.
Of course, not every opportunity Messi takes advantage of successfully, can still miss, even miss penalties. But the important thing is that his ability to feel the match and choose position is almost unmatched. That is a special ability that very few players in football history possess.
Besides personal factors, I think Messi's success also comes from the way Argentina builds their playing style. This team operates with Messi as the central nucleus. This is clearly shown in the opening goal against Austria. From experienced players to young faces like Thiago Almada, everyone understands Messi's role in the system.
They know that if they put the ball in the right position, at the right time, Messi will do the rest of the job. Therefore, all movements, ways of moving and organizing attacks are aimed at creating the best conditions for the number 10. This is not simply a dependence but a way to optimize the ability of the team's best player.
Argentina also shows very high discipline. People often mention their ball control or defense organization ability, but in my opinion, what is more noteworthy is the order in the operation of the attacking system. Each player understands their task and understands how to put Messi in the center of the play.
From the match against Algeria to the more difficult confrontation with Austria, opponents all know how Argentina will play and Messi is the final destination in attacks. However, knowing is one thing, preventing is another.
That is the level of Argentina today, when individual and collective factors effectively blend together. Messi shines thanks to the system, and the system is elevated by Messi.
Regarding personal records, I think we should not put too much emphasis on creating pressure on other stars. In a major tournament, the most important thing is still the team. A team needs goals to win, not to serve statistical milestones. The nature of all records is only meaningful when it helps the team go further.
Messi is the same. I don't think he takes the field to pursue numbers. What he aims for is to solve the problem of the Argentine national team. Goals, records or historical milestones are the result of him doing a good job with the team.
Up to this point, Argentina is solving the challenges very well as the difficulty of the opponent is increasing. Their machinery operates smoothly and stably. That is the most frightening thing for the rest of the 2026 World Cup.
