Most athletes at 38 are retired, coaching youth leagues, or selling wine. Lionel Messi is out here setting national team records.
The Argentine legend scored a penalty in a 3-0 friendly win over Iceland on June 9, 2026, becoming the oldest player to ever score for the Argentine national team. The match, played at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama, was a World Cup warm-up.
The goal and the game
Messi didn’t even start. He entered the match in the 70th minute. The penalty conversion gave him his 117th goal in 199 appearances for Argentina, further extending his status as the country’s all-time leading scorer.
Argentina cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Iceland in what was one of the final tune-up matches before the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The friendly also carried a sentimental note, as veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi may have made his farewell appearance for the national team.
