Lionel Messi just scored the fastest goal of his career and reminded us of his eternal greatness

Lionel Messi is set to leave European football behind this summer, but he still has so much magic left in his boots – his latest ridiculousness for Argentina is proof.

We as football fans are always craving more, desperate to see which record or statistic the Argentine GOAT can break next. In truth, Messi has nothing left to prove.

He’s already won it all, scored over 800 goals and provided us all with unbridled moments of joy. That’s why it’s all the more impressive that he’s still breaking records to this day, on the eve of his 36th birthday.

Fans from all over the world are desperate to see the diminutive magician in action before he decides to hang up his boots. Luckily enough, fans in China were treated to a vintage Messi performance as Argentina took on Australia in Beijing.

Believe it or not, prior to this fixture, Messi had never scored in the second minute of a football match. It sounds daft, but believe us, it’s true.

From the off, Argentina smelled blood. Like a swarm of bees buzzing around a hive, they win the ball back in midfield before rolling the ball into the pathway of Messi.

In trademark fashion, he takes a little shimmy to the side and leaves an Australian defender for dead. It took him just one minute and 19 seconds – simply ridiculous Lionel.

1:19.

Lionel Messi scores the fastest goal of his career, in only the way Messi can. 🐐pic.twitter.com/d6Ps7LNV4o

— Planet Football (@planetfutebol) June 15, 2023

With that goal being scored in the second minute, it now means that Messi has scored in every minute of a football match apart from the first 60 seconds. We wouldn’t bet against him getting that elusive first-minute goal in MLS either.

The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Luis Suarez have already managed to achieve the feat of scoring in every minute and so Messi would be in fine company if he does manage to net that first-minute goal.

As he will turn 36 next week, it’s important we cherish these sorts of moments. The Argentine camp are trying to persuade him to stick around for the 2026 World Cup, but Messi will be 39 by the time that rolls around. Not even the greats can outrun time forever.

Messi himself is focused on Copa America in 2024 and will then take things one step at a time from there.

“I think not,” Messi told reporters when asked about the possibility of featuring in 2026. “This was my last World Cup. I will see how things go, but in principle no, I will not go to the next World Cup.

Messi added that he would “like to be there to watch” the tournament in 2026 but that he is “not going to participate”.

Even now as he bows out of European football, he is still capable of conjuring up such moments of magic. The footballing world simply won’t be the same when he does hang up his boots.

By Ben Stewart.

READ NEXT: 8 times Lionel Messi was football’s biggest bad boy: Red cards, feuds…

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every club Lionel Messi has scored against in the UCL?