His five goals in two matches leave him one ahead of Norway's Erling Haaland and France's Kylian Mbappé, who are both more than a decade younger.Dr Steve Georgakis, a senior lecturer in sport at the University of Sydney, said Messi's influence on football was unmatched, arguing no other player had had a greater impact on the modern game."Non-Argentinian countries venerate this guy, this player, more than their own players," he told SBS News."It's quite extraordinary that we have a situation where the youth of the world see Messi as being their player."Whether Messi is the greatest footballer of all time, or the GOAT as it's commonly referred to, remains a matter of opinion It’s amazing, and credit where credit’s due."I know the debate about the best players and who’s the greatest, but I just don’t think you can argue against it anymore [that Messi is the GOAT]."So how has Messi, now playing in his sixth World Cup, continued to perform on football's biggest stage? And where does he rank alongside Pelé, Maradona and long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo?Georgakis said Messi's longevity came down to several factors, including avoiding serious injury, benefiting from advances in sports science and changing perceptions about how long players can compete at an elite level."That quickness off the mark, the speedy feet, he's still got it," he told SBS News."Quite extraordinary at that age