Lionel Messi Shatters Records as Argentina Faces Cape Verde in FIFA World Cup 2026
Argentina's Journey Continues in FIFA World Cup 2026
Argentina is gearing up for their next match in the FIFA World Cup 2026, where they will compete against the underdog team, Cape Verde, in the Round of 32 at Miami Stadium on July 4 (Saturday). This match is crucial for the defending champions, as a victory would secure their place in the Round of 16. All eyes will be on Lionel Messi, who is set to start after coming off the bench in the previous match against Jordan. Messi continues to break records, achieving milestones that no player has reached before.
In the last game, Messi opened the scoring for Argentina by converting a brilliant pass from Lisandro Martinez into a goal. With this achievement, he became the first player in FIFA World Cup history to score 20 goals in the tournament. Earlier in the competition, he had already set the record for the most goals scored in World Cup history.
Here’s a look at the players with the highest goal tally in FIFA World Cup history:
| Rank | Player | Country | Goals | Matches Played | Tournaments Played |
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 20 | 30 | 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026 |
| 2 | Kylian Mbappé | France | 18 | 18 | 2018, 2022, 2026 |
| 3 | Miroslav Klose | Germany | 16 | 24 | 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 |
| 4 | Ronaldo | Brazil | 15 | 19 | 1998, 2002, 2006 |
| 5 | Gerd Müller | West Germany | 14 | 13 | 1970, 1974 |
Additionally, Messi has now scored in eight consecutive FIFA World Cup matches, setting yet another record.
Messi Becomes First Player to Appear in 30 FIFA World Cup Matches
Lionel Messi has made history by participating in his 30th FIFA World Cup match, becoming the first player to reach this milestone in the tournament's 96-year history. Cristiano Ronaldo follows closely with 26 appearances for Portugal.
Here’s a list of players with the most FIFA World Cup appearances:
| Rank | Player | Country | Matches Played | Tournaments Played |
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 30 | 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026 |
| 2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | 26 | 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026 |
| 3 | Lothar Matthäus | West Germany / Germany | 25 | 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998 |
| 4 | Miroslav Klose | Germany | 24 | 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 |
| 5 | Paolo Maldini | Italy | 23 | 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 |
| 5 | Luka Modrić | Croatia | 23 | 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026 |
| 5 | Manuel Neuer | Germany | 23 | 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026 |
Currently, Messi leads the scoring chart for the FIFA World Cup 2026 with 7 goals, positioning himself as a strong contender for the Golden Boot.