If it wasn’t already abundantly clear how much Lionel Messi’s Argentina teammates worship him, the squad’s secret plot to each wear a T-shirt with a unique photo of the themselves with the team’s captain underscored that dizzying adoration.Messi turned 39 on Wednesday, ensuring he will become the 12th outfielder to appear at a World Cup after celebrating that milestone when Argentina goes up against Jordan on Saturday. To mark the occasion, the national team organized a cake for Messi from Kansas City bakery Pan Caliente, which was founded by the Argentine chef Silvia Miguel, as well as some commemorative apparel. Every player had selected a different image, invariably one of themselves hugging Messi during an Argentina international match or posing with the World Cup trophy in 2022. Even the team cook, Antonia Farías, and Diego Iacovone, the person in charge of the squad-wide barbecues (which naturally requires a separate professional), got in on the act. Each shirt had the same message on the back which read: “To you, who changed our lives, who gave us unforgettable moments, who made us believe that dreams are possible... The best part wasn't watching it—it was experiencing it with you!“Happy birthday, Captain—we love you.“May you be immensely happy!”Secret to Argentina’s World Cup Success Lies in Messi ManiaArgentina is built around Lionel Messi. | Maja Hitij/FIFA/Getty ImagesThis is an Argentina that grew up idolizing their No. 10. When Messi retired from international soccer (for the first time) in 2018, a heartbroken 17-year-old penned an open letter pleading for his return. “Do whatever you want, Lionel, but please think about staying. But stay to have fun—that’s what these people have taken away from you... Play to have fun, because when you’re having fun, you have no idea how much fun we’re having,” a teenager by the name of Enzo Fernández wrote.Julián Alvarez was one of countless young kids who convinced Messi to stop for an awkward photo. Now he has one of them together on a commemorative birthday T-shirt. Nico Paz still can’t get over that the image on his shirt even exists. “Every time I see him in pictures, I can’t believe it,” the young playmaker gushed. “From watching him on TV to playing with him live, it was crazy for me.” Paz was so starstruck by Messi he couldn’t even speak the first time they shared a locker room.While this adoration may be extreme, it greats a clear goal for the national team: get the best out of Messi.This is a side with $100 million midfielders, the most sought-after striker in Europe and one of the best tournament goalkeepers in recent memory, but everyone is sacrificed so that the 39-year-old trotting around at the top of the pitch is satisfied.Messi has scored all five of Argentina’s World Cup goals this summer, which is no surprise considering pretty much no one else has even dared to have a shot. The few efforts that have been taken by someone not wearing the No. 10 shirt have invariably been created by the scheming left footer, who has either taken or teed up 81% of Argentina’s attempts on goal so far.There’s no bitterness of Messi taking shots away from teammates—which is something Cristiano Ronaldo has been accused of this tournament—they are clearly doing everything in their power to get him the ball. That includes doing all of his running. Alvarez was afforded just 26 minutes against Austria, yet covered 0.24 km at high speed according to SofaScore. Messi, for comparison, racked up 0.26 km. It may seem reductive—if not destructive—to deliberately overlook the potential of 25 other players just to get the best out of one man. Yet, as Argentina proved four years ago, when that one man is Messi, it’s a strategy that can work at the World Cup.READ THE LATEST WORLD CUP NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FCAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow