Manu Ginobili was in the stands to watch Lionel Messi make World Cup history, and the Argentine basketball icon could hardly believe what he had witnessed.
Messi scored twice in Argentina 's 2-0 victory over Austria to become the outright leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history, moving clear of Miroslav Klose and further cementing his place among the greatest players the sport has ever seen.
Among those watching was San Antonio Spurs legend Ginobili, who attended the match with his family and later shared his reaction on social media after seeing the Argentina captain reach another remarkable milestone.
Photo by Maja Hitij – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
Shortly after Argentina's win, Ginobili reflected on the experience of attending a World Cup match with his family and watching Messi make history in the process.
He wrote: "Today, my family and I had the enormous pleasure of watching an Argentina match in a World Cup for the first time, and on top of that, seeing number 10 become the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history!! What a privilege!!"
It was a fitting tribute from one Argentine sporting icon to another. Ginobili is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players his country has ever produced, winning four NBA championships with the Spurs and helping Argentina claim Olympic gold in 2004.
Even for someone with those achievements, watching Messi break one of the game's most prestigious records clearly left a lasting impression.
Messi entered the tournament level with Germany legend Klose on 16 World Cup goals. He first drew level with the record through his hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina's opening game, with his third goal matching Klose's total.
The 38-year-old then took sole possession of first place by scoring twice against Austria, lifting his tally to 18 World Cup goals and moving clear at the top of the all-time standings.
France forward Kylian Mbappe has also climbed the rankings during the tournament. His second brace of the competition against Iraq moved him onto 16 World Cup goals, tying Klose and placing him two behind Messi.
For now, though, the spotlight remains firmly on Argentina's captain. Messi's latest performance added another chapter to a remarkable career, and Ginobili's reaction summed up how many Argentines felt after watching one of their greatest sporting heroes make history once again.
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