June 24, 2026, 12:01 p.m. ET
- Lionel Messi celebrated his 39th birthday just days after a record-breaking World Cup performance in Texas.
- The Argentine superstar became the all-time leading scorer in men’s World Cup history with his 17th goal.
- Messi marked his birthday with an intense gym workout, which he shared on social media.
- Texas is a major hub for the 2026 World Cup, with matches held in both Arlington and Houston.
Lionel Messi’s 39th birthday comes on the heels of a milestone moment in Texas during the 2026 World Cup.
Just two days after scoring a record-breaking World Cup goal, the Argentine superstar marked his birthday with an intense gym workout shared on social media. Posted Tuesday, June 23, the video shows Messi going through a strength-training session featuring weightlifting and controlled resistance exercises. Because of the time difference, his birthday had already begun in Argentina, where he was born and raised.
Messi’s birthday follows his landmark performance in Arlington, where he scored his 17th World Cup goal on Monday, June 22, making him the all-time leading scorer in men’s World Cup history. The achievement added another chapter to a decorated career that includes eight Ballon d’Or awards and a 2022 World Cup title, secured when Argentina defeated France in a penalty shootout after a 3–3 draw.
Argentina continues World Cup play in Texas later this week, facing Jordan at AT&T Stadium in Arlington as the tournament moves deeper into the group stage.
Watch: Messi’s gym workout
Watch: Lionel Messi hits World Cup record-breaking goal
Texas is serving as one of the busiest host states in the 2026 World Cup, with matches split across two of the 11 U.S. stadiums selected for the tournament — AT&T Stadium in Arlington and NRG Stadium in Houston.
In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, AT&T Stadium anchors a major portion of the tournament schedule, including group-stage matches and key knockout-round fixtures. In Houston, NRG Stadium serves as the state’s second World Cup hub, hosting its own slate of international matchups.
See Messi set the record at AT&T Stadium during Monday’s match against Austria.
World Cup schedule in Texas
Houston (NRG Stadium)
Group Stage
- Tuesday, June 23 — Group K: Portugal vs. Uzbekistan (noon CT)
- Friday, June 26 — Group H: Cabo Verde vs. Saudi Arabia (7 p.m. CT)
Knockout Stage
- Monday, June 29 — Round of 32: Group C winner vs. Group F runner-up (noon CT)
- Saturday, July 4 — Round of 16: Matchup TBD (noon CT)
Shop Houston World Cup tickets
Dallas/Arlington (AT&T Stadium)
Group Stage
- Monday, June 22 — Argentina vs. Austria
- Thursday, June 25 — Japan vs. winner of play-off match
- Saturday, June 27 — Jordan vs. Argentina
Knockout Stage
- Tuesday, June 30 — Round of 32: Group E runner-up vs. Group I runner-up
- Friday, July 3 — Round of 32: Group D runner-up vs. Group G runner-up
- Monday, July 6 — Round of 16: Matchup TBD
- Tuesday, July 14 — Semifinal match
Most all-time men’s World Cup goals
- 17 – Lionel Messi, Argentina
- 16 – Miroslav Klose, Germany
- 15 – Ronaldo, Brazil
- 14 – Gerd Muller, West Germany
- 14 – Kylian Mbappe, France
- 13 – Just Fontaine, France
- 12 – Pele, Brazil
- 11 – Sandor Kocsis, Hungary
- 11 – Jurgen Klinsmann, West Germany and Germany
- 10 – Helmut Rahn, West Germany
- 10 – Gary Lineker, England
- 10 – Gabriel Batistuta, Argentina
- 10 – Teofilo Cubillas, Peru
- 10 – Thomas Muller, Germany
- 10 – Grzergor Lato, Poland
Brandi D. Addison covers weather across the United States as the Weather Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network and contributes to Texas Connect. She can be reached at baddison@gannett.com.
Source link
