Lionel Messi has become the first player to score 20 World Cup goals and score in eight consecutive World Cup appearances.
He may be 39, but Messi is continuing to break records and has lit up the World Cup with his majestic performances so far this summer.
The Argentine pretty much completed football as he scored an brace in an incredible final against France to help lead his country to the World Cup four years ago and he has picked up where he left off in 2026.
Messi celebrated his 200th international appearance with a sensational hat-trick against Algeria in the tournament opener and followed that up with a brace against Austria, with the first goal in that game resulting in him breaking the all-time World Cup goal record.
The great man was rested for Argentina's final group game against Jordan, but still found time to come off the bench and continue his goalscoring streak on the World Cup stage.
In the last 32 clash against a stubborn Cape Verde side, Messi produced another moment of magic as his superb touch and finish put Argentina ahead.
Messi's latest goal moved him onto seven goals for the tournament and once clear of rival Kylian Mbappe.
When did Lionel Messi last fail to score in a World Cup game?
You have to go back to 30th November 2022 to find a World Cup match where Lionel Messi failed to score.
Argentina still managed to beat Poland 2-0 in the group stage and the rest was history as Messi took over and has scored in every game since.
Lionel Messi World Cup record
Goals | Assists | |
2006 | 1 | 1 |
2010 | 0 | 1 |
2014 | 4 | 1 |
2018 | 1 | 2 |
2022 | 7 | 3 |
2026 | 7 | 0 |
