Lionel Messi Sets New Record at FIFA World Cup 2026
Historic Achievement by Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi has made history by scoring in his sixth consecutive FIFA World Cup match during the 2026 tournament. He netted a goal in the 38th minute of Argentina's second match against Austria at Dallas Stadium in Arlington. This achievement also allowed him to set the record for the most goals scored in FIFA World Cup history. After narrowly missing a penalty and coming close to scoring on two occasions, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner finally broke the deadlock with a brilliant left-footed finish, capitalizing on a layoff from left-back Medina.
Messi's Historic Milestone
Messi has now become the third player ever to score in six consecutive FIFA World Cup matches, and the first to do so in 56 years. The last player to achieve this remarkable feat was Brazil's Janzinho in 1970, while the record was initially set by France's Just Fontaine during the 1958 tournament.
Players with Goals in Most Consecutive FIFA World Cup Matches| Player | Consecutive Matches Scored In | Year |
| Just Fontaine | 6 | 1958 |
| Janzinho | 6 | 1970 |
| Lionel Messi | 6 | 2022-2026 |
| Gerd Muller | 5 | 1970 |
| Eusebio | 5 | 1966 |
| Leonidas | 5 | 1934-1938 |
| Careca | 5 | 1986-1990 |
| Teofilo Cubillas | 5 | 1970-1978 |
| Helmut Rahn | 5 | 1954-1958 |
| Lajos Tichy | 5 | 1958-1962 |
| James Rodrigues | 5 | 2014 |
| Gyorgy Sarosi | 5 | 1934-1938 |
| Hristo Stoichkov | 5 | 1994 |
| Rivaldo | 5 | 2002 |
| Toto Schillaci | 5 | 1990 |
Messi's scoring streak began with a goal against Australia in the Round of 16 during the FIFA World Cup 2022. He also scored in the quarterfinals against the Netherlands and the semifinals against Croatia, before netting twice in the final against France. This achievement marks only the third time a player has scored in every knockout stage match of a single World Cup edition, following Pelé in 1958 and Jairzinho in 1970. He continued his impressive form with a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina's opening match of the 2026 tournament.