Before the age of 41, Messi can still hit 8 crazy records, two of which are directly ranked first in history

Messi has renewed his contract with Inter Miami until 2028, and has repeatedly performed passes and shots in recent games. The legendary star's football career continues. When the outside world thought that he had already collected all the honors in football and held countless "never-come-after" records, the 38-year-old football king still had 8 crazy records to unlock - if he can persist until he retires at the age of 41, he may push his legendary status to an even higher level than anyone else!

1. The first captain in history to win the World Cup twice

Pele’s record of winning the World Cup three times is still unmatched, but Messi is expected to create another history: becoming the first player to win the World Cup twice as captain. Historically, players such as members of Italy's 1934/1938 championship team and Brazil's 1958/1962 championship team have won the World Cup twice, but legends such as Meazza, Pele (non-captain in 1958), Cafu (substitute in 1994), Passarella, etc., have only won the championship once as captain. In the 2026 World Cup, if Messi can lead Argentina to defend the title, he will write his own captaincy legend.

2. The first national team captain to lead his team to win four consecutive major championships

Argentina has replicated Spain's miracle of "World Cup + two consecutive continental championships", becoming the only two teams in the history of football to achieve this achievement. If he can defend the America's Cup next summer, Messi will lead the Blue and White Army to achieve four consecutive major championships (including the European and American Cup); if the 2026 World Cup is included, he is even expected to hit the terrifying record of six consecutive championships. This achievement will completely refresh the team honor ceiling in international football.

3. The first assist leader in football history

This record is almost "stable" for Messi! According to OPTA's official statistics since the 1990s, Messi has long been far ahead in assists. Although some statistics estimate that Hungarian legend Puskas has 404 assists in his career, Messi has equaled this number after completing 3 assists in Inter Miami's 4-0 victory over Cincinnati. With just one more assist, he can officially lock in the title of "the first assist king in history".

4. The No. 1 free kick scorer in history

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner's free kick achievements have long been recognized. Currently, he has scored 69 free kicks, surpassing legends such as Beckham, Pele, and Cristiano Ronaldo, and ranking fourth in history. There are only three Brazilian legends left in front of him: Juninho (72 goals), Roberto Dinamit (75 goals), and Marcelinho (78 goals). Messi only needs to score 10 more free kicks to collect this "Full Moon Scimitar" record.

5. The first player to win three MLS Golden Boots

In the 2025 MLS regular season, Messi won the ninth Golden Boot of his career with 29 goals, and was also the first league Golden Boot since leaving Barcelona. If he can successfully defend the title next year, he will tie the record of two Golden Boots won by players such as Preki and Twellman (no player in MLS history has achieved three consecutive championships). If he can fulfill his contract in 2028 and win two more Golden Boots in the next three years, he will become the player with the most Golden Boots in MLS history.

6. MLS single-season scoring record (34 goals)

In 2019, Carlos Vela scored 34 goals for Los Angeles FC, setting a MLS single-season scoring record. Messi failed to match it by 5 goals last season, but combined with his recent hot state and the upward trend of Miami International, if he can stay healthy and play a full season, the 39-year-old is fully capable of hitting this record - although this is undoubtedly a huge challenge for an elderly player.

7. MLS single-season record for total goals and assists

If the playoffs are included, Messi has already set a new MLS single-season contribution record: last season, he scored 6 goals and 6 assists in 4 key playoff games, and contributed 60 goals throughout the year (there are still 2 games left). But in separate regular season statistics, Vela's 34 goals and 15 assists (49 contributions) in 2019 are still the benchmark. Messi contributed 29 goals and 19 assists (48 times) in 29 regular season games last season, just one shy of tying the record, and is expected to surpass him in the future.

8. MLS single-season assist record (26 times)

Although Messi has entered the twilight of his career and it is extremely difficult to hit the MLS historical total goals (171 goals) or total assists (136 times) record, he still has the ability to challenge the single-season record. Colombian legend Valderrama sent 26 assists for Tampa Bay in 2000, which is still unmatched. But considering that Messi has contributed 9 assists to Inter Miami in the past 6 games, he has every chance to challenge this record.

Comments:

The 38-year-old Messi is still constantly breaking the "limit of senior players", and the decision to renew his contract until the age of 41 is itself a challenge to history! Among these eight records, the assists king and the free kick king are almost within reach, while achievements such as the defending captain of the World Cup and the three MLS golden boots are full of suspense. However, as long as Messi remains healthy, no one dares to underestimate his ambition.

From a young boy in Barcelona to an ageless legend in football, Messi has told the world with his sustained peak performance: legends never set limits. Nowadays, he no longer needs to prove himself with records, but he is still chasing the ultimate. How many records do you think Messi can break in the end? How many more surprises can he bring to the world at the age of 41?