Lionel Messi added yet another remarkable chapter to his legendary FIFA World Cup career as Argentina overcame a determined Cape Verde side 3-2 after extra time to secure their place in the Round of 16. While the defending champions were pushed to their limits, Messi once again proved to be the difference-maker, producing a performance that combined leadership, quality, and another collection of historic milestones.
Argentina looked on course for a comfortable evening when Messi broke the deadlock in the 29th minute. Latching onto a perfectly weighted long ball from Lisandro MartÍnez, the captain calmly lifted his finish over goalkeeper Vozinha to hand La Albiceleste the lead. However, Cape Verde refused to back down, twice fighting back to level the scores before an unfortunate own goal from Diney Borges in the 111th minute finally sealed Argentina’s passage into the knockout stage.
FIFA World Cup 2026: All Records Broken By Lionel Messi
First Player to Reach 20 FIFA World Cup Goals
Messi’s opening goal was historic in more ways than one. It took the 39-year-old to 20 career FIFA World Cup goals, making him the first footballer to reach the landmark across both the men’s and women’s tournaments.
Oldest Player To Score In A Knockout Game
At 39 years and nine days, Messi also became one of the oldest players ever to score in a men’s World Cup knockout match, further underlining his extraordinary longevity at the highest level.
First Player To Score 7 or More Goals
The strike against Cape Verde was Messi’s seventh goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, equalling the tally he registered during Argentina’s triumphant 2022 campaign.
In doing so, he became the first player in World Cup history to score seven or more goals in two different editions of the tournament. The feat highlights his consistency across multiple generations of football and his ability to remain decisive despite advancing in age.
Messi is now closing in on more milestones.
He sits just one goal behind Guillermo Stábile’s record for the most goals scored by an Argentine in a single World Cup edition and is also within touching distance of Ademir’s South American record.
8th Consecutive WC Appearance
The Argentina captain has also established himself as one of the greatest knockout performers in World Cup history.
His goal against Cape Verde extended his scoring run to eight consecutive World Cup appearances, the longest streak ever recorded in the competition. Even more impressively, he has now found the net in five straight World Cup knockout matches, a feat unmatched in the modern era.
Across his last six knockout appearances, Messi has directly contributed to 10 goals, combining clinical finishing with his trademark creativity to remain Argentina’s most influential player.
19th Goal Captaining Argentina
The goal was his 19th as Argentina’s captain at the World Cup, extending his own record for the most goals scored while wearing the captain’s armband.
14th Different Nation To Score Against
Cape Verde also became the 14th different nation against whom Messi has scored in the tournament, another all-time record.
30th World Cup Appearance
The victory marked Messi’s 30th FIFA World Cup appearance, extending the benchmark for the most matches played in the competition. It also reinforced his remarkable longevity, particularly after turning 35, with the Argentine superstar continuing to outperform every previous standard for late-career excellence on football’s biggest stage.
Focus Shifts to Egypt
Although Argentina eventually advanced, the defending champions were forced to work far harder than expected. Cape Verde exposed vulnerabilities that Lionel Scaloni’s side will need to address before the next round.
Argentina now turn their attention to a Round of 16 meeting with Egypt. While questions remain over their defensive display, one constant continues to define their World Cup campaign-whenever Argentina require a decisive moment, Lionel Messi continues to provide it while rewriting football history with almost every appearance.