At 39 years old, Lionel Messi remains Argentina’s best player and one of the standout performers at the 2026 World Cup. In the three matches he has played, he has scored six goals, making him the tournament’s top scorer. As a result, he has surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo by setting the record for scoring in seven consecutive World Cup matches, something never before seen in the tournament’s history.
Lionel Messi became the first player in history to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches, from the Round of 16 at Qatar 2022 through Argentina’s most recent group-stage match of the 2026 edition against Jordan. With this, he surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo in the tournament’s history while also overtaking Jairzinho and Just Fontaine, who had previously shared the record with six consecutive World Cup matches with a goal.
While Cristiano is one of the greatest players in history, he is not close to Messi’s record. His best scoring streak came between the 2014 and 2018 World Cups, when he scored in three consecutive matches. With this likely being his final edition, he would not have enough time to equal his record, as Portugal would have to reach the final and he would need to score in every match. Even then, he would only reach a streak of four consecutive scoring games.
In the Round of 32, Argentina will face Cape Verde, one of the tournament’s best attacking teams. There, Lionel Messi will have the chance to score again and extend his lead over Jairzinho, Just Fontaine, and Cristiano Ronaldo. In addition, he will be looking to strengthen his position as the tournament’s top scorer, as he already has six goals and still has several matches ahead where he will aim to score again and lead his national team to the final.
Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina scores his team’s third goal from a free kick.
Messi joins Pelé and three legends as World Cup free-kick scorers list
After starting Argentina’s first two matches, head coach Lionel Scaloni decided to leave Lionel Messi on the bench against Jordan. With the victory already well on track, the 39-year-old star entered the match in the 60th minute, replacing Lautaro Martínez. Showing his quality, he scored a stunning free-kick to give his national team their third goal. With that strike, he joined Pelé and three other legends on an exclusive list of World Cup free-kick scorers.
see also
World Cup 2026 Golden Boot table: Lionel Messi leads top scorers standings after group stage
Lionel Messi has joined Pelé, Rivelino, Bruno Genghini, and David Beckham as the only players to ever score two or more free-kick goals in the World Cup, according to MisterChip, a well-known statistician in soccer. With a couple more games ahead, the 39-year-old star could become the undisputed leader in this ranking if he scores more free-kick goals in the 2026 World Cup.
