Messi never backs down

Messi still shows his class despite his age.

On St. John's Day (June 24) - the glorious festival of fire in Catalonia - Lionel Messi will turn 38. But instead of retreating into the background as one would expect of a player approaching 40, Messi is still playing, scoring, and deciding the fate of big matches as if he had never aged.

Messi is not finished yet

Five days before his birthday, he was the hero in Inter Miami's 2-1 win over Porto at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™. A stunner that once again confirmed: Messi is still Messi.

It wasn't just the winning goal. It was a moment that left the stadium breathless. As the referee pointed to the free-kick spot just outside the penalty area, millions of viewers knew something special was about to happen.

The Porto players know. The fans know. And Leo knows better than anyone - because he's done it hundreds of times. He doesn't need much momentum, he doesn't need much power. Just a feel for the ball, a quick glance over the wall and into the far corner - and the goal comes almost as a matter of course.

Messi brother 1

Leo scored against Porto.

What made the moment all the more memorable was the context. Inter Miami were not a team built to win world titles, nor were they a machine programmed to win.

It is an MLS team, home to four former Barcelona "old men" - Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba - who are said to have passed the peak of their careers. They came to America to enjoy football, to enjoy life. But in the end, the blood of victory has never faded.

Inter Miami doesn’t need to play at a frenetic European pace. They don’t press hard, they don’t run for 90 minutes. They play with brains, experience and a sense of understanding that has been built over more than a decade.

On the pitch, Messi is still the ultimate fulcrum. He doesn't need to move much, but every ball has to go through him. The former Barca star still reads the game better than anyone, still chooses his position instinctively, and still makes opponents fear every time they stand in front of a dead ball.

Goalkeeper Ustari, 38, is also an oddball in the Inter Miami lineup. He’s not flashy, not great with his feet, but he’s a solid stopper. In an era where youth and speed are revered, Inter Miami find joy in people who seem out of date. And somehow, they still win.

Javier Mascherano, Messi's former teammate at both Argentina and Barca, is the head coach - the one who keeps the fire burning in the dressing room. Perhaps it is Mascherano who understands best that, as long as those names are still hungry to contribute, they can still stir up a major tournament.

Messi brother 2

Messi shows that his time is not over.

Messi is still Messi

With the win over Porto, Inter Miami now need just a draw to qualify for the group stage of the Club World Cup - a feat far beyond what is expected of an MLS team. But that doesn't seem to matter much anymore.

The most important thing is that Messi has made his mark, that he is still the soul of the team, still a model of perseverance and extraordinary. And that, even though it is just a match between the US representative and a Portuguese team, people are still waiting for Messi to do something magical - as they have for decades.

That also raises a question that perhaps even Messi himself has no answer to: Will he continue with the Argentina national team at the 2026 World Cup, held in the US, Mexico and Canada? He retired, then returned, then won. At 39, does the last dream still burn in the legendary captain's heart?

No one dares to say. But with what he has shown, Messi can absolutely dream one more time. As long as he still feels his legs are strong enough, as long as his heart still beats for football.

Because with Messi, just one touch makes all the difference. And wherever the ball rolls, he is always at the centre. Not because of the past, but because of the present - a present that still shines, 38 seasons on.

Messi is never the past. He is a phenomenon - forever.

Messi scores a masterpiece at the FIFA Club World Cup. Early morning on June 20, Messi shined to help Inter Miami defeat Porto 2-1 at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™.

Source: https://znews.vn/messi-chua-bao-gio-lui-lai-post1562355.html