This tournament reminds me of USA 94! I can't believe 32 years have passed!
I still remember that first goal by Rashidi Yekini.
Our match with Italy and the relish when Roberto Baggio lost that penalty in finals 😂.
Still angry at the way we went out!
No game will ever hurt as much as that😭
Also it was the year i was struggling so hard to get admission into ABU Zaria. Infact the day that the Nigeria vs Italy match was played, I watched it in Zaria. The cost of going to and fro Kano to Zaria had become too much for my parents to bear and luckily a girl called habiba who had gotten admission and lived in Zaria spoke to her parents to accommodate me and they did! Bless them.
Finally got that admission(MBBS Level 2 ) after being told repeatedly that I will not get. Giving up has never been in my dictionary
Irony of life, I ended up not finishing after the school was closed down for a year.
32 years! Wow!!!
I’ll never forget your goal against Manchester united in the champions league final.
Ankara Messi will always be memorable till the end of time.
Your first hatrick against Real Madrid at 19 years old, your solo goal against Atletic Bilbao.
Your free kick goal against Liverpool, your goal against Real Betis that had the opponent giving you a standing ovation.
Your last minute goal at the Santiago Bernabeu, the volley against Sevilla, your last minute free kick to win PSG the league,
I will always remember your goal against Bayern Bayern Munich after dropping Boateng on the floor, your goal against Mexico to put our dream of winning the world cup back on track, your first goal for Inter Miami ( a last minute free kick goal) , your free kick goal against Nigeria.
I’ll never forget what you’re to football and the amount of joy you bring to my heart every single time i watch you play. I’ll pass it to the younger generations that you’re the greatest of all time, a humble one, a selfless one,
Happy Birthday Lionel Messi, you’ll forever be the GREATEST OF ALL TIME❤️
🎂 Happy #Birthday, Lionel #Messi! 🐐🇦🇷
Heute feiert Lionel Messi seinen 39. Geburtstag – und blickt auf eine Karriere zurück, die ihresgleichen sucht. ✨
🏆 Weltmeister
🏆 4x Champions-League-Sieger
🏆 3x UEFA-Supercup-Sieger
🏆 10x spanischer Meister
🏆 7x spanischer Pokalsieger
🏆 7x spanischer Superpokalsieger
🏆 2x französischer Meister
🏆 1x französischer Superpokalsieger
🏆 2x Copa-América-Sieger
🏆 3x FIFA-Klub-Weltmeister
🏆 Olympiasieger 2008
🏆 U20-Weltmeister 2005
🏆 1x MLS Cup Champion
🥇 8x Ballon d'Or
🥇 6x Goldener Schuh
🥇 16x Fußballer des Jahres
🥇 4x Weltfußballer
🥇 3x Europas Fußballer des Jahres
🥇 Golden Boy 2005
🥇 Rekordtorschütze Argentiniens
🥇 Rekordtorjäger des FC Barcelona
Von Rosario über Barcelona bis zum größten Titel von allen: dem WM-Triumph in Katar. Messi hat nahezu jeden Rekord gebrochen, jeden großen Titel gewonnen und eine ganze Generation geprägt.
39 Jahre alt. Eine lebende Legende. 🐐👑
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIONEL MESSI
Welcome to Chapter 39 and i am sure this chapter will be greater than the previous chapters
Since Turning 38 years
50 Games
50 Goals
30 Assist
80 G/A as a 38 year old is mind blowing
🐐🐐🐐
Erling Haaland on Lionel Messi after his masterclass against Austria and becoming the all-time World Cup top scorer:
🗣️ “I don't think people fully understand what they just witnessed. Breaking the all-time World Cup goalscoring record is already historic, but doing it with a performance like that against Austria makes it even more unbelievable.”
“Everyone in the stadium knew what was at stake. The fans knew it, the defenders knew it, the entire football world knew it. Yet Lionel Messi still stepped onto the pitch and played as if the pressure didn't exist.”
“What amazed me most was not the record itself. It was the way he controlled the game. Every time he touched the ball, something happened. Every attack felt dangerous. Every Austrian player looked worried whenever he got possession.”
“Most players become nervous when history is waiting for them. Messi looked completely relaxed. It was almost like he had already seen the script before the match even started.”
“As a striker, I know how difficult it is to score goals when everyone is focused on stopping you. Now imagine doing it at the World Cup, against elite defenders, with an entire nation expecting greatness from you. That is a different level.”
“The scary thing is that he didn't look like a player chasing a record. He looked like a player enjoying football. And somehow, while enjoying football, he ended up becoming the greatest goalscorer in World Cup history.”
“When I was watching him, there were moments where it felt impossible to get the ball off him. Austria were trying everything, but he always had an answer. One touch, one turn, one pass, one finish everything looked effortless.”
“People talk about talent, but what separates Messi is consistency. Anyone can have one magical tournament. Very few can dominate World Cups across different generations and different eras.”
“I honestly believe that decades from now, fans will still be talking about this performance. Not just because a record was broken, but because of how it was broken. It felt like football history bowing to the greatest player of all time.”
“And if you ask me what I saw, my answer is simple: I saw Lionel Messi turn the biggest stage in football into his own masterpiece and leave it as the undisputed king of World Cup goalscoring.”