From 1 to 100: Messi fans across generations steal the spotlight at the World Cup

As Lionel Messi made history at the World Cup on Monday night, his fans from two separate generations stole the spotlight, briefly during Argentina’s group stage match against Austria.

A cameraman spotted two Argentina fans, one barely a year old on his mother’s lap and the other a centenarian grandmother, melting the hearts of more than a billion people watching the match from home.

The moment quickly went viral on the internet and fans began to wonder about the appeal that Lionel Messi has and why he enjoys the title of one of the greatest, if not the greatest, player in the history of football.

Identified as Pauline Kana, who goes by ‘Gangster Granny’ online, the 100-year-old has turned into one of Messi’s most unlikely superfans at the age of 100. Born in 1926, before World War II, she makes comedy content with her grandson, Ross Smith, and the two have built enough of a following to land a Guinness World Record.

She was in the stands at Argentina’s victory over Austria and personally cheered on Messi. Her fame started with comedy, but Messi has become part of her brand at this point. He follows his run with both Inter Miami and Argentina and regularly posts videos celebrating his greatest moments.

The other, of course, was the ‘barely one year old’ wearing big headphones as he watched Argentina play Austria at the raucous Dallas Stadium in Arlington.

HISTORIC NIGHT FOR LIONEL MESSI

Lionel Messi gave fans another reason to celebrate in Arlington on Monday when he produced another World Cup masterclass to lead Argentina to a 2-0 win over Austria.

The Argentina captain scored twice to rewrite history as he reached 18 goals at the World Cup to become the tournament’s all-time top scorer. His first strike in the 38th minute broke his neck with German great Miroslav Klos, while his second, deep into stoppage time, put the result beyond doubt.

The opening goal was vintage Messi – he flew into the box and finished first time with his left foot after being found by Facundo Medina. The second was more about instinct, reacting quickest after his initial effort was blocked to fire across a packed penalty area.

The goals were even more important given that Messi had previously missed a penalty in the ninth minute, extending his effort. But if there was frustration, it barely lasted. The 39-year-old constantly demanded the ball, constantly drifted into dangerous areas and finally found his reward.

Messi’s remarkable longevity makes the numbers even more extraordinary. Eleven of his 18 World Cup goals came after the age of 35, underscoring how he continued to redefine expectations in the later years of his career. By the final whistle, Argentina had secured qualification and Messi had added another chapter to a career increasingly unmatched by anyone else.

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Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

June 23, 2026 12:15 PM IST