Messi scores 20th World Cup goal, extends record streak to 8 matches

Lionel Messi scored his 20th career World Cup goal in Argentina's round-of-16 match against Cabo Verde, extending his record as the tournament's all-time top scorer and marking his eighth consecutive World Cup match with at least one goal — a historic streak never achieved before Source: hoydo. The goal, in the 29th minute, also moved Messi two goals clear of Kylian Mbappé in the all-time list and gave him the outright lead in the 2026 Golden Boot race with seven goals Source: lavozar.

The historic streak

Messi has now scored in eight straight World Cup appearances, a feat unprecedented in the competition's history. He has netted 12 goals in those eight matches and seven in this tournament alone, one more than Mbappé Source: hoydo. Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul praised Messi's impact, saying, "For me, it means a lot to be his friend" Source: hoydo.

Golden Boot race

Messi leads the 2026 Golden Boot standings with seven goals, followed by Mbappé with six. Other contenders include Erling Haaland (Norway) and Harry Kane (England), each with five goals before Friday's matches. Four players — Ousmane Dembélé (France), Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain), Vinícius Júnior (Brazil), and Ismaila Sarr (Senegal) — had four goals, though Sarr is eliminated Source: hoydo, lavozar. The race remains tight as the knockout stage progresses.

What's next

Argentina advances to the quarterfinals, where Messi will have another opportunity to extend his records. Mbappé and Haaland are still active, keeping pressure on Messi for both the all-time scoring record and the Golden Boot Source: lavozar.