India, June 23 -- Just a year ago, when Lionel Messi was asked whether he would feature in the ongoing FIFA World Cup in the United States, he kept fans on edge by downplaying the possibility.

Citing his age as a key factor, the Argentine star had brushed aside the chances of making the tournament and left the football world guessing about his plans.

Fast-forward to Monday, La Albiceleste took the field against Austria with Messi arriving on the back of a stunning hat trick in the tournament opener.

He was just one strike away from eclipsing Miroslav Klose as the FIFA World Cup's all-time leading scorer.

The record looked set to fall much earlier when Argentina earned a penalty, but Messi surprisingly failed to capitalize on the chanc...