Lionel Messi’s age is no longer a footnote in the story of his career. At 39, Argentina’s captain is still being discussed not as a player in decline, but as someone who could yet extend his World Cup story again.
That is the broader point Emma Hayes made this summer when she suggested she would be shocked if Just Fontaine’s World Cup scoring record of 13 goals, set in 1958, was not broken. Her argument was not only about one tournament or one record. It was about the way elite forwards now appear capable of staying relevant far longer than previous generations.
Why Messi’s age matters less than it used to
Hayes said the modern game, and the skill set required to be a world-class finisher, is helping top attackers play into their 40s. In that context, Messi at 39 does not sound like a player at the edge of the road. It sounds like one of several veterans who may still have more to give.
She also pointed to Cristiano Ronaldo, now 41, and Robert Lewandowski, who is thriving at 37 despite not being at this World Cup. The comparison matters because it shows this is not just about Messi’s individual longevity. It is about a changing standard for what an elite forward can look like late in a career.
Messi remains more than a goalscorer as well. He is still described as a creator, which is part of why his value can outlast the usual curve for attacking players. Even when the burst fades, the understanding of space, timing and decision-making can keep a player central to how a team functions.
That is why Hayes’s comment about another World Cup is more than wishful thinking. It reflects a genuine possibility: that a player who is already 39 could remain good enough, and useful enough, to keep going at the highest level.
The larger implication is clear. The era of the great forward may now stretch later than football once assumed. Messi, Ronaldo and Lewandowski are all part of that conversation, and Messi’s age is no longer just a number. It is evidence that elite careers may be expanding rather than shrinking.
