India, July 8 -- Lionel Messi is once again at the heart of Argentina's World Cup campaign, leading the defending champions into the quarterfinals with another series of match-winning performances. At 39, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner continues to defy expectations, topping the Golden Boot race with eight goals and delivering whenever his team need him most. His influence has been crucial throughout the tournament, particularly in the knockout stage against Cape Verde and Egypt. Argentina looked on the brink of elimination after falling two goals behind to Egypt, while Messi had already endured the disappointment of a first-half penalty miss. But the captain refused to let the match slip away. He set up Cristian Romero to spark the co...