Lionel Messi has once again rewritten the history of world football by scoring his 21st goal in World Cup finals, establishing an unprecedented lead at the top of the competition's all-time scorers list. In the Atlanta stadium, the Argentine captain not only equalized the match against Egypt (3-2), but also extended his record to nine consecutive games with a goal, something that has never been achieved before.
In his 31st match in World Cup finals, now in the round of 16 for 2026, Messi was once again decisive, scoring the goal that restored the tie to 2-2 in the 83rd minute, after having missed a penalty in the 21st minute. Argentina would ultimately win against Egypt by 3-2, in a clash where Messi demonstrated once again why he is considered a living legend of the sport.
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Messi's scoring run in this edition of 2026 is impressive: he has already scored eight goals, matching Portugal's collective record, and leads the top scorers' table, now with one more than direct rivals Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland. The Frenchman, who also scored in the round of 16 against Paraguay (1-0), now finds himself surpassed by the Argentine, who has gained a two-goal advantage in the historical tally of World Cups.
The numbers support the magnitude of the achievement: Messi scored in the last four matches of the 2022 World Cup (round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final), maintaining his scoring streak in all five games played in 2026, thus achieving nine consecutive matches with a goal. No other player in history has even come close to scoring in seven consecutive matches.
The match against Egypt also brought another unprecedented milestone for the Rosario star. In addition to the goal, Messi provided his first assist of this edition, crossing for Cristian Romero to reduce the deficit to 1-2 in the 79th minute. With this assist, Messi became the first player to assist a goal in six different World Cup editions, now totaling nine decisive passes, another absolute record for the competition.
After the final whistle, Messi stood out as the main protagonist of the Argentine national team, continuing to collect records and nurture the legend he has built over nearly two decades in international football. The impact of his performances keeps Argentina on the path to success and reinforces his position as a central figure in this 2026 World Cup. The football world watches, impressed, as a career continues to make history with every game.
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