Messi’s Last Dance: Odds 12/1—Can the Legend Still Create Miracles?

At 38 years old, this is almost certainly Messi’s final World Cup. In 2022, he won the World Cup, scoring 7 goals; if Mbappé hadn’t scored a hat-trick in the final, the Golden Boot would have been his. Although he is older, his role in the Argentina team has shifted—more about organizing and positioning as the core of the attack, no longer a breakaway dribbler sprinting all over the pitch. But he is still Argentina’s first choice for penalties and free kicks. As long as Argentina can win a few penalties, Messi’s goal total won’t be too bad.

Argentina’s Group J opponents are Algeria, Austria, and Jordan—these teams’ defenses aren’t particularly strong, so in the group stage Messi has a chance to score 2 to 3 goals. As defending champions, Argentina’s odds to win the title are also among the top. Lautaro Martínez and Álvarez have both performed well this season, taking on the main finishing responsibilities, while Messi’s role is more focused on organizing and setting things up. To win the Golden Boot, you need to concentrate on scoring goals, but Messi may now care more about the team’s overall performance. A somewhat pessimistic sign is this: after Argentina won the Copa América in 2025, the team’s cohesion is beyond doubt, but Messi’s individual goal-scoring efficiency is clearly lower than it was in the 2022 period.

My prediction is that he will score 3 to 4 goals this tournament—getting the Golden Boot will be difficult, but he may still contribute crucial goals. Betting on Messi to score more than 3.5 goals on Polymarket may be the steadier option.

#Polymarket每日熱點