Jurgen Klopp delivered a nine-word verdict on Lionel Messi after watching the legendary forward break the record for most goals in World Cup finals history on Monday.
Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday, scored his 17th and 18th World Cup goals against Austria at the Dallas Stadium. He also took his 2026 World Cup goals tally to five goals, following a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina’s opening Group J match, and currently leads France’s Kylian Mbappe and Norway’s Erling Haaland (four goals apiece) in the Golden Boot race.
The Inter Miami star missed an early penalty against the Austrians but still broke Miroslav Klose’s long-standing record before half-time thanks to a vintage left-footed strike.
Messi played the full 90 minutes and doubled his - and Argentina’s - tally shortly before full-time with a superb goal that highlighted his remarkable tenacity and peerless quality.
There’s a growing sense that Messi is in the process of cementing his status as football’s greatest-ever player at this summer’s showpiece international tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The 2022 World Cup winner could even end the year with a record-breaking ninth Ballon d’Or award if he continues this exceptional form at football’s most prestigious tournament.
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Jurgen KloppREUTERS/Hannah Mckay
One revered figure who was fortunate enough to witness Messi’s record-breaking exploits in person was the former Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
The charismatic German coach, who is currently employed as the Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull, embraced Messi on the touchline after the match after briefly reuniting with his former Liverpool player, Alexis Mac Allister.
While Klopp was buzzing to get Mac Allister’s match-worn shirt, it was Messi who wowed him most. Per journalist Gary Al-Smith, the world-class manager-turned-World Cup pundit said:
"We'll never see a player like Messi ever again."
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Next up for Messi and Argentina is a match against Jordan, who have lost their opening two Group J fixtures against Austria and Algeria, on Saturday evening.
It’s unclear whether Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni will play Messi in that fixture, or hand the veteran forward a well-deserved rest. However, there’s no doubt that Argentina’s iconic No. 10 will be desperate to play, and ultimately he’s likely to call the shots depending on how he feels.
As things stand, Argentina are set to meet fellow South American nation Uruguay in the Round of 32 on July 3. However, the situation could still change depending on how results unfold over the next week-and-a-half.