Lionel Messi has done what no footballer could manage in nearly seven decades. The 39-year-old Argentine has surpassed Just Fontaine’s 13-goal haul from the 1958 FIFA World Cup, a record so old it predates color television in most of the world.
For crypto markets, the story isn’t just about what’s happening on the pitch. The $ARG fan token, Argentina’s national team token on the Chiliz blockchain, spiked 12.4% as Messi’s goal tally climbed during the tournament.
The record that refused to die
Fontaine’s 13 goals in a single World Cup had survived 68 years of football evolution. With the expanded 48-team format, the number of matches ballooned considerably. More games means more opportunities, and Messi, leading Argentina as defending champions, had already racked up 8 goals heading into the knockout stages.
Messi took full advantage. At 39, an age when most footballers are coaching youth academies or doing punditry, he found another gear entirely.
