Lionel Messi Celebrates 38th Birthday with Stellar Career Legacy

June 24, 2025 – As Lionel Messi turns 38 today, the football world reflects on a career that has redefined the sport’s benchmarks. The Argentine icon, currently shining with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, boasts an astonishing record: 1,104 games, 865 goals, 384 assists, eight Ballon d’Or awards, and 46 trophies, according to official statistics from Transfermarkt and Wikipedia.

Messi’s latest milestone came in the expanded Club World Cup, where his trademark free kick secured a 2-1 victory for Inter Miami against FC Porto on June 19, marking his 50th goal for the club. This performance underscores his ongoing influence, even at an age when many players retire. His impact extends beyond the pitch, elevating teammates like goalkeeper Drake Callender and midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi, who credit Messi’s leadership for their development, as noted in recent ESPN analyses.

The iconic image of Messi biting his 2022 World Cup winners’ medal at Wembley Stadium symbolizes a career pinnacle. That triumph, a 3-0 win over France, silenced critics who once questioned his international success, a narrative explored in the 2024 Apple TV+ docuseries "Messi's World Cup." A 2019 Journal of Sports Sciences study highlights his elite efficiency (0.78 goals per game), bolstered by his record-breaking assists, setting him apart from peers like Cristiano Ronaldo.

As Messi continues to inspire, his legacy as football’s gold standard remains undisputed, with Inter Miami and Argentina eagerly anticipating his next chapter.