Lionel Messi has done the unthinkable again. Just two days before his 39th birthday, the Argentine superstar has become the World Cup's all-time leading scorer with his 18th goal.
On Monday, Messi netted two goals against Austria in a 2-0 victory that has left the world in awe. The single sharpest fact is that Messi has now surpassed German legend Miroslav Klose's record of 17 World Cup goals. For someone who announced retirement from international football in 2016, Messi's record-breaking feat is all the more incredible.
But it hasn't been easy. Messi's eighth-minute penalty miss was far from inspiring, and it seemed like things were not going his way. Yet, he managed to redeem himself 30 minutes later with a low strike that moved him clear of Klose as the outright top scorer in tournament history.
In his past six matches at the World Cup, Messi has been involved in 12 goals, scoring 10 with two assists. His incredible performance has sparked debate on whether he is the greatest footballer of all time.
The greatest football has ever seen? The statistics just keep on getting more impressive. He has scored all five of Argentina's goals at this World Cup, and is two clear at the list of top goalscorers. Against Austria, he became only the third player to score in six successive World Cup matches after France's Just Fontaine in 1958 and Brazil's Jairzinho in 1970.
Messi's two goals against Austria meant he scored with both of his opportunities and he has also created the most chances in the tournament's history (76). His football intelligence is off the charts – he just finds space, and the timing is great from the best player I've ever seen,' former England midfielder Danny Murphy said.
But are Argentina over-reliant on their captain? Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former England striker Chris Sutton said: 'Lionel Messi magic once again for Argentina. It is not just his goals, but it is his contribution to the team. The way he knits things together – he is the little guy for the big moments. 'I suppose the negative side for Lionel Scaloni is that he probably wants other players to contribute with goals. They can't just rely on Messi, or can they?'
Messi's incredible performance has left the world in awe, but what's next? Argentina are already guaranteed a last-32 place, and with Jordan to come, who knows what's in store for the reigning world champions?
Messi is appearing at his sixth World Cup and has scored 13 tournament goals since reversing that decision to retire from international football. Remarkably, 12 of his 18 goals on football's greatest stage have come since he turned 35. Fourteen of those 18 have been struck with his left foot, and four have come from outside the box.
We don't have time to create statues for Lionel Messi or deep analysis for him in newspapers. We cannot keep pace,' said Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague on BBC Radio 5 Live.