Lionel Messi continued to rewrite football history after scoring in Argentina's dramatic 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the Argentina captain opened the scoring before the reigning world champions eventually secured their place in the Round of 16 after a hard-fought contest.
The goal was Messi's seventh at the 2026 World Cup, allowing the 39-year-old to equal his personal best for goals scored at a single FIFA World Cup. He also found the net seven times during Argentina's triumphant 2022 campaign in Qatar.
Unlike four years ago, however, all seven of Messi's goals at the current tournament have come from open play, while three of his seven strikes at the 2022 World Cup were converted from the penalty spot.
The latest goal also marked another historic achievement for the Argentine superstar. It was his 20th goal across all FIFA World Cups in which he has participated, further strengthening his status as one of the greatest players in the tournament's history.
Argentina eventually claimed a 3-2 victory after extra time and will now face Egypt in the Round of 16 as they continue the defense of their world title.
