Lionel Messi turned 39 on Wednesday and opened the World Cup with a hat‑trick against Algeria, tying Miroslav Klose’s all‑time goal record. Two days later he struck twice versus Austria, pulling two goals clear of the competition. With six tournament appearances, Messi now leads the scoring charts and his presence fuels a three‑way race with Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot.

Scoring isn’t his contribution; Sky Sports’ power rankings place Messi in the 96th percentile for non‑penalty expected goals, shots and final‑third passes, and in the 92nd percentile for progressive carries. He also ranks in the 86th percentile for open‑play expected assists. He also sits in the 72nd percentile for possessions won, a defensive metric for a forward.

All five of his goals have come from inside the box or from the left foot, with 70% of his World Cup strikes recorded after age 30. Messi covers just 7.8 km per 90 minutes, the lowest distance logged by any Argentina midfielder or forward, conserving energy for decisive bursts. Argentina’s group‑win also guarantees at least three knockout matches, giving Messi opportunities to extend record.