Having scored a goal for Argentina 81 seconds into the first half of the friendly against Australia at the Workers' Stadium in Beijing on Thursday night, Lionel Messi set a new record for the fastest goal in his career and led his side to secure a 2-0 win.

This is Messi's seventh trip to China and Argentina's first game overseas since they won the FIFA World Cup title in Qatar in December 2022. That was Messi's 42nd trophy in his career as he secured nearly all of the top football honors. Though he turns 36 years old in less than 10 days, many still wonder if he will appear in the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

"There is still a long time before 2026. Now I just focus on maintaining top performance and good form, in both the short and long terms," Messi said in an interview with China Media Group (CMG) on Wednesday.

Messi played for Argentina in the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008. He assisted Angel Di Maria to score a valuable goal in the men's football tournament's final to win the gold medal.

"That was a very special moment for us. The Olympics is special as well. We haven't won the gold medal for many years. I remember that Chinese fans were very passionate at that time. Many came to watch us train and warm up," Messi said. "This time we stayed in the hotel and on the practice ground during most of the time and didn't have much time to go to other places."

Messi has been one of the world's most dominant players for over a decade thanks to his born talents as well as his good habits in nutrition, recovery, and training as a professional player. Though he has achieved so much in his career, he still maintains those habits.

"I believe it's important for every athlete to take good care of their body," Messi told CMG. "It's integral for us to rest well. We have to play so many games in a season, so we need to eat well and rest well. Both are key to maintaining good form in the games."

It has been six months since Argentina won the World Cup in Qatar. Some players have left while some faces joined. Despite all the changes, Messi wants the team to give their best in every of the games on the way.

"It's a historic moment for all of us to win the World Cup in Qatar," Messi said in the interview. "We enjoy everything we have achieved, but we should also look into the future. We need to continue to do our best, maintain our best form and make the best performance in every game."

Messi joined Barcelona when he was 13 and has been playing in Europe since then. After the 2022-23 season at Paris Saint-Germain, he decided to leave Europe and join International Miami in the Major Soccer League (MLS) in North America instead of returning to Barca or Newell's Old Boys in Argentina.

"I don't know if winning the World Cup has anything to do with me deciding to join International Miami," Messi said. "But we made a family decision in principle to go there. We believe in the future. We are happy and looking forward to the new destination."

As a one of the most successful players in football history, Messi values the fun of doing the sport as well and has a message for children in China on this front.

"I think football is not only about performing well or not, but also about enjoying this beautiful sport," he told CMG. "You realize that children make a lot of friends when they play football and enjoy themselves doing it. Skills matter in football, but what matters more is that you are playing football."