Lionel Messi, at 39 years old, just did what most athletes can’t do at 29. He broke the all-time World Cup goals record by netting his 21st career tournament goal, surpassing Miroslav Klose’s previous mark of 16 and dragging Argentina into the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the process.
The record fell during Argentina’s quarterfinal win, adding another entry to what is becoming less a career resume and more a historical document. And while the sporting world processes another chapter in the Messi mythology, a quieter but financially relevant story is playing out in crypto markets: football fan tokens, particularly the Argentina fan token $ARG, are seeing notable spikes in trading activity.
The record that wasn’t supposed to happen
His 21 World Cup goals across multiple tournaments don’t just edge past Klose’s record. They obliterate it by five goals, which in World Cup terms is roughly the difference between “very good” and “greatest ever.”
Argentina’s group stage included a comeback victory against Egypt, the kind of match that tests squads and breaks lesser teams. Messi set records for goals in consecutive matches during the tournament.
