Lionel Messi continued his purple streak in front of goal, scoring the opening goal for Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 32 against Cape Verde in Miami on Friday.
The 39-year-old received a long pass from Lisandro Martinez on the right flank before tapping the ball past keeper Vozinha to give his side the lead in the 29th minute.
Here is the list of records the Argentina captain broke against Cape Verde:
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Most goals scored in the 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup: 7 goals
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Most goals in FIFA World Cups – 20 goals
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Most consecutive games with a goal in the World Cup – 8 games
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Most consecutive knockout games with a goal – 5 games
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Most goal contributions (goals + assists) in World Cups – 12 G+A
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First player to score more than seven goals in two World Cup editions: 2022 and 2026
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Most goals as captain in the World Cup – 19 goals
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Most appearances at the World Cup – 30
Published on July 4, 2026
