Lionel Messi Sets New World Record in FIFA World Cup History

Lionel Messi has etched his name in history by breaking Pele's long-standing record during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In a thrilling match against Cape Verde, Messi scored his seventh goal of the tournament, marking his eighth consecutive World Cup game with a goal. With a total of 12 contributions in knockout matches, he surpasses both Pele and Mbappe. As the tournament progresses, Messi leads the scoring charts, but faces competition from Mbappe, who is also making waves in the tournament. Discover more about Messi's incredible achievements and the ongoing competition in the World Cup.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 4, 2026, 22:28 IST

Messi Achieves Historic Milestone

During the FIFA World Cup match on July 3, 2026, between Argentina and Cape Verde at Miami's Hardrock Stadium, Lionel Messi made history by breaking a record previously held by the legendary Pele. The 39-year-old forward not only surpassed Pele but also outperformed French star Kylian Mbappe, as Argentina narrowly clinched a 3-2 victory after extra time. Messi scored in the 29th minute, marking his eighth consecutive World Cup match with a goal, thanks to a brilliant assist from Lisandro Martinez. This goal was Messi's seventh in the current tournament.

Messi Surpasses Pele's Record

With this achievement, Messi has now contributed a total of 12 goals in World Cup knockout matches, the highest ever recorded by any player. He has surpassed both Kylian Mbappe and Pele, who each had 11 contributions. Over six World Cup tournaments, Messi has scored six goals and provided six assists during the knockout stages. According to historical data since 1966, he is the first player to reach 12 contributions in knockout matches, while Pele and Mbappe each had 11.

Top Goal Contributions in World Cup Knockout History

Player	Goal Contributions	Goals	Assists	Country	Years
Lionel Messi	12	6	6	Argentina	2006-2026
Pele	11	8	3	Brazil	1958-1970
Kylian Mbappe	11	10	1	France	2018-2026
Ronaldo	10	8	2	Brazil	1998-2006

Despite this remarkable achievement, Messi faces stiff competition from Mbappe, who remains in the tournament and is currently the second-highest scorer with six goals, while Messi leads with seven. Both players are also the top scorers in FIFA World Cup history, with Messi at 20 goals and Mbappe at 18. Mbappe recently set a record for the most goals in knockout stages with a brace against Sweden, bringing his total to 10, previously held by Brazil's Leonidas and Ronaldo, who each had eight. Messi, on the other hand, boasts an impressive 28 goal contributions in World Cup history, the highest of any player, while Mbappe follows with 22 contributions, consisting of 18 goals and four assists.