The football world continues to pay tribute to Lionel Messi following another historic night for Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. One of the latest legends to join the chorus of admiration is Rivaldo, the Brazilian World Cup winner who helped his country lift the trophy in 2002.
A Rivalry Set Aside for Greatness
In a heartfelt social media post that transcended one of football’s fiercest rivalries, Rivaldo—a former teammate of Messi’s at Barcelona—expressed his profound admiration for the Argentine captain. The Brazilian acknowledged the historic rivalry between the two nations but insisted that true football lovers can only appreciate what they are witnessing.
“I played football for many years, and when you see such beautiful football, when you see a player so dedicated at nearly 39 years old doing what he has been doing, it is truly admirable,” Rivaldo wrote. “Of course, we all support our own national team, and I’m not going to wish for Argentina to win. But when you see a great player like Messi, anyone who truly loves football has to admire him. What he has done and continues to do is spectacular.”
The 1999 Ballon d’Or winner was particularly struck by Messi’s influence on Argentina’s campaign. “Five goals in two matches, being the only Argentine to score in this World Cup so far. This shows the magnitude of his importance and quality,” he noted.
A Privilege to Witness
“With all due respect, Messi, what you do on the pitch is out of this world. It is a privilege for all of us football lovers to be able to follow such an extraordinary career,” Rivaldo concluded.
Coming from one of Brazil’s greatest-ever footballers—a man who starred alongside Ronaldo and Ronaldinho in the iconic 2002 World Cup-winning team—the praise carries particular weight. Yet even he finds himself among the millions captivated by Messi’s enduring brilliance.
Record-Breaking Night in Dallas
Messi’s heroics came in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria at Dallas Stadium, a win that secured the defending champions’ place in the Round of 32 from Group J. The Argentine captain bounced back from an early penalty miss to score both goals—opening the scoring in the 38th minute before adding a second deep into stoppage time.
With those two goals, Messi reached 18 World Cup goals, eclipsing Miroslav Klose’s previous record of 16 to become the tournament’s all-time leading scorer. He also became the player with the most World Cup wins (18), the most games played (28), and the most minutes on the field (2,489).
A Tournament for the Ages
Now with five goals in just two matches—following a hat-trick in Argentina’s opening 3-0 win over Algeria—Messi leads the race for the Golden Boot and has earned FIFA’s Man of the Match award for the second straight game, the 12th such honor of his World Cup career.
The Argentine captain, who will turn 39 on June 24, joins France’s Just Fontaine (1958) and Brazil’s Jairzinho (1970) as the only three players to score in six consecutive World Cup matches.
As Argentina prepare to close out the group stage against Jordan, the records continue to pile up. But perhaps the most telling measure of Messi’s greatness is the admiration he receives from fellow legends—players who know better than anyone how difficult it is to remain at the top. For Rivaldo, the verdict is simple: football is witnessing something extraordinary.
