Lionel Messi continues to defy age and expectations at this FIFA World Cup, rewriting the record books as he approaches his 39th birthday. The Argentina captain has become the highest goalscorer in World Cup history, surpassing German legend Miroslav Klose, whose tally of 16 goals had stood since the 2014 tournament. Messi reached the landmark in style, following up his hat-trick against Algeria with a brace against Austria. His five goals in the opening two matches have taken his overall World Cup tally to 18 and placed him at the top of the scoring charts. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has been in outstanding form, once again proving why he remains one of the game's defining figures. Despite leaving European football for MLS in 2023, Messi has shown that his quality, influence and eye for goal remain as sharp as ever on the biggest stage.Miroslav Klose’s epic reaction after World Cup record falls to Lionel Messi. (Reuters and X Images)Former World Cup record-holder Klose was among the first to congratulate Messi after the Argentine surpassed his long-standing mark. The German great, who held the record for more than a decade, had nothing but praise for Messi, hailing him as the greatest player he has ever seen."I've always said Messi is no slouch," the 48-year-old said as quoted on Goal. "For me, Leo is the best footballer of all time! Congratulations, champion!".Also Read - Lionel Messi reacts after missing penalty but still breaking World Cup record: ‘It was spectacular how it happened’No stopping Lionel MessiThe eight-time Ballon D'Or winner, who turns 39 on Wednesday, had blown a chance to break the record after eight minutes when he dragged a penalty wide of the post in the Group J match.Meanwhile, reflecting on the record-breaking night, Messi admitted that the way it unfolded made it even more memorable. After missing an early penalty that could have taken him past Klose's mark, the Argentine found the net twice from open play and joked that football can sometimes work in mysterious ways."The truth is that it is spectacular how it happened," Messi admitted when discussing the record. “Today I had the penalty that I could have increased the score with, but if I had made the penalty, perhaps I wouldn't have reached the other two either. You never know, but I'm happy with the result, the participation, and the work of the team," he added.