Lionel Messi sets another World Cup record — his most ridiculous yet
Jordan were the latest victims of Messi magic at the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup.
Argentina wrapped up Group J days ago by winning their first two matches in dominant fashion, so Lionel Messi started their group-stage finale against Jordan on the bench, but the 39-year-old GOAT didn’t hold back once he came on in the 60th minute.
By the 80th minute, Messi banged a free kick into the back of the net for his sixth goal at this World Cup and his record 19th all-time World Cup goal. The golazo put Argentina up 3-1 over Jordan, which would be the final score.
With that goal, Messi has now scored at least once in seven straight World Cup matches, the first player to ever accomplish that in men’s World Cup history, per ESPN Insights.
The streak dates back to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which Argentina won. This is Messi’s sixth World Cup appearance. He and Cristiano Ronaldo are the only men to appear in six World Cups.
Messi opened this World Cup with a hat trick against Algeria, tying Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading men’s World Cup goalscorer. Then, he scored a brace against Austria to stand alone as the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer, surpassing Klose and Brazil’s Marta (17) on the women’s side.
Entering the knockout stage, Messi is two goals clear in the Golden Boot standings. France’s Kylian Mbappe, France’s Ousmane Dembele, Brazil’s Vinicius Junior, and Norway’s Erling Haaland are clustered in second with four goals apiece. But this is Messi’s World Cup until further notice.
Should Messi continue his tear moving forward — and why wouldn’t he? — he seems a shoo-in to become the first Argentine to win the men’s World Cup Golden Boot since Mario Kempes in 1978. Of course, Messi won’t settle for the Golden Boot. He and Argentina are vying to become the first repeat men’s World Cup champions since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
Argentina will face Cape Verde in the Round of 32 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Friday, July 3. It’ll be familiar territory for Messi, as he is currently the reigning back-to-back MLS MVP and reigning MLS Cup champion with Inter Miami CF.
