MEXICO CITY — Lionel Messi celebrated his 39th birthday on Wednesday amidst a World Cup that has, so far, brought him nothing but happiness. The defending champions, Argentina, have already secured a spot in the knockout stage, and Messi has emerged as the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
The birthday festivities took place at Argentina’s training facility in Kansas City, Missouri. This marks Messi’s sixth World Cup appearance and the fifth time he has celebrated a birthday during the tournament, with the exception of the 2022 event in Qatar, which took place in November and December.
– Reasons why every round-of-32 team will or won’t win the FIFA World Cup
– Messi makes history while reaffirming his status as the all-time great
– Argentina creates an ideal environment for Messi to shatter the World Cup goal record
Thus far, Messi has accounted for all of Argentina’s goals in the tournament: he scored three in their opening match against Algeria and two in their victory over Austria. With a total of 18 goals in World Cup history, he surpasses Miroslav Klose and Kylian Mbappé by two.
On social media, Messi posted a photo of himself with a birthday cake, surrounded by his teammates. The cake was from Pan Caliente, a bakery in Kansas City owned by an Argentine pastry chef.
In another photo, Messi is seen surrounded by his teammates, all wearing T-shirts featuring a personal image of themselves with the captain.
“To the man who transformed our lives, provided us unforgettable moments, and instilled the belief that dreams are achievable… The best part was not just witnessing it, but experiencing it alongside you! Happy birthday, Captain; we love you and wish you immense happiness,” read the T-shirts, as shared in a social media post by forward Julián Álvarez.
Birthday wishes poured in for Messi from FIFA, his current club Inter Miami, and his former club Barcelona.
Back in his hometown of Rosario, around 5,000 children from local schools sang “Happy Birthday” to him, with a few bringing cakes to celebrate.