Meet Pauline Kana, the 100-Year-Old Lionel Messi Fan Who Once Asked Argentina Captain to Marry Her
The American content creator drew attention with a Messi sign as Argentina won 2-0 and Messi set the World Cup scoring record, officials said.
- On Tuesday, June 23, 2026, the FIFA World Cup broadcast featured 100-year-old American content creator Pauline Kana during Argentina's 2-0 victory over Austria in Dallas, holding a sign declaring, "I'm 100 years old and I'm a Messi fan."
- Known online as Gangster Granny, the Ohio native gained fame through viral sketches with her grandson, Ross Smith, and previously supported the Argentine star at Inter Miami matches during the 2025 Club World Cup.
- Her energetic persona earned official recognition from Guinness World Records recently; Kana became the oldest person to crowd surf at 99 years and 274 days during a Brantley Gilbert concert in Bellville, Texas.
- Messi's historic performance, where the Argentina captain scored twice to become the all-time leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history, added significant weight to Kana's viral appearance at the match.
- Today marks the final day of the second round of group stage matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup; Kana's viral moment showcases the diverse fanbase surrounding the international tournament.
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13 Articles
From 1 to 100: Messi fans across generations steal the spotlight at the FIFA World Cup
Lionel Messi fans from two very different generations stole the spotlight on Monday, when Argentina took the field against Austria in the FIFA World Cup. A 100-year-old grandma, and a child, barely one year old were seen celebrating Messi and Argentina in their group-stage game.
A century-old amateur excelled in the match of Argentina and Austria for the 2026 World Cup.
In the midst of Argentina’s victory over Austria in the 2026 World Cup, an image in the grandstands stole much of the attention and quickly began to circulate among the fans. It was Pauline, a 100-year-old woman who attended the stadium to encourage the Argentine selection and became one of the unexpected protagonists of the day. The sympathizer appeared holding a poster that said “100 year old Messi fan” (“100-year-old Fan de Messi”), in a show…
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