Why Lionel Messi's career is a masterclass in building long-term wealth | 5 Money habits to follow

Lionel Messi, at the age of 38, has broken his contemporary and arch-rival, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo's record for the oldest player to score a hat-trick at the FIFA World Cup. The Argentine legend opened his 2026 World Cup campaign with a brilliant hat-trick, leading Argentina to a 3-0 win over Algeria on Tuesday.

At 38 years and 357 days, Messi has become the oldest player in men's World Cup history to register both a brace and a hat-trick. In the process, he surpassed Ronaldo to become the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick, overtaking Ronaldo's record set at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, where he famously netted a hat-trick against Spain at the age of 33.

Messi, in his 200th appearance for Argentina, scored three different types of goals.

Just as Messi built his career through discipline, patience, and adaptability, investors can apply similar principles to build long-term wealth. Here are five key money lessons inspired by Kohli's approach to success.

Talent needs discipline to survive

Natural ability may open doors, but discipline keeps them open.

Messi has spent his entire life playing and practising football consistently, almost daily. For the 1% that we see - him in all his glory playing big matches with big teams, there is that 99% of behind-the-scenes work where he is getting up early to train, practising repetitive drills.

Similarly, earning money is one thing; managing, saving, and investing it requires discipline. Only a disciplined investment approach can make you wealthy in the long term.

Consistency matters more than momentary success

A single great season or a spectacular goal didn't make Messi a legend. Decades of delivering results did.

In personal finance, small, regular investments and savings often create more wealth than chasing quick wins or market trends.

Success takes time

Messi started playing football in a professional capacity in 2003; therefore, it has taken him pretty much 20 years to get to the point where he has won the World Cup

Wealth creation follows a similar principle. Compounding works best when given time, rewarding patience far more than shortcuts or get-rich-quick schemes.

Don't lose focus on what matters most

During a match, it often seems that Lionel Messi is far from the action. He may spend long periods walking, observing, and staying out of the spotlight. But this is part of his genius. Instead of chasing every ball, Messi studies the game, conserves his energy, and waits for the perfect moment.

When the right opportunity arrives, he is exactly where he needs to be—and he rarely misses.

In life, Messi stayed focused on football despite fame, criticism, and distractions.

Investors can learn from this by sticking to their financial goals instead of reacting to every market headline or trend.

Diversify

While football remains his core strength, Lionel Messi has expanded into endorsements, business ventures and investments. Likewise, relying solely on salary income can be risky.

The personal finance rule book also talks about a similar approach - ‘Do not put all eggs in one basket’. Diversification can help reduce risk during market volatility and help create wealth over time.