Buenos Aires [Argentina], June 25: Argentina star Lionel Messi celebrated his 39th birthday on Wednesday, just two days after becoming the all-time leading goalscorer at the men's World Cup.
Several team-mates surprised Messi at Argentina's World Cup camp in Kansas City with a birthday cake made of macaroons and other sweet treats. The burning candles were the number 39, a post of his on social media showed.
Four years on from leading his national team to the trophy in Qatar, Messi is continuing to thrive on football's biggest stage, leading the race for the Golden Boot with five goals in two games including a hat-trick in Argentina's opener against Algeria.
He now has 18 goals at World Cups, ahead of Germany's Miroslav Klose and France's Kylian Mbappe on 16.
Tributes have poured in for the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain player, now plying his trade at Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) praised its "captain, standard-bearer and icon," calling Messi "the man who changed the history of world football."
Barcelona wrote on Instagram, "Another year celebrating greatness." An eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, Messi holds countless records, including the most goals in La Liga with 474, the most for Barcelona with 672 and the most for Argentina with 122.
Over his 17 years as a professional with Barcelona, he won 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies.
To mark his 39th birthday, Argentine TV presenter Rodolfo Barili launched a special appeal on Instagram, calling for the country to sing a joint happy birthday to him at 10 am (1300 GMT) and 10 pm.
His wife Antonela Roccuzzo sent a greeting alongside some vintage photographs.
Argentina have qualified for the round of 32 as Group J winners and face Jordan on Saturday at the Dallas Stadium.
Source: Qatar Tribune
