Lionel Messi has made history once again by becoming the first footballer to score seven goals across two distinct FIFA World Cup editions.(AP Photo) Just when you think Lionel Messi has conquered every mountain football has to offer, the Argentine maestro invents a new peak.
By hammering home a clinical 29th-minute strike against a resilient Cape Verde on Saturday, Messi did not just ignite Argentina’s path to the Round of 16 as he rewrote the fabric of international football history, becoming the first player ever to score seven goals in two different editions of the FIFA World Cup.The talismanic forward, who famously netted seven goals during Argentina's fairytale championship run in Qatar 2022, has replicated that exact goalscoring ruthlessness in the 2026 edition.
His sublime finish under the Miami lights took his current tournament tally to seven, pulling him one clear of France’s Kylian Mbappé in a fierce Golden Boot race and extending his record-shattering career World Cup total to 20 goals.
Watch Protests, Boos And Drama Surround Iran's World Cup Opener As Tensions Spill Into Stadium No other footballer in the history of the beautiful game, neither Pelé, Diego Maradona, nor modern-day icons has managed such staggering goalscoring consistency across multiple World Cup tournaments.
While most players consider a seven-goal return in a single world cup a lifetime achievement, Messi has turned the extraordinary into a routine expectation.His performance on Saturday also extended his record-breaking World Cup scoring streak to eight consecutive matches, demonstrating an unparalleled longevity that completely defies his age.
Dropping deep to orchestrate play before making a perfectly timed, ghosting run into the box, Messi controlled Lisandro Martínez’s lofted pass with trademark elegance before blasting it past Cape Verde's veteran keeper Vozinha.For over two decades, Messi has traded in miracles, but this latest milestone cements his status in a statistical masterstorke entirely his own.
As the defending champions march on to Atlanta to face Egypt on Tuesday, the footballing world watches in awe.
Argentina may be grinding out results on sheer grit, but with their captain operating at a historic level of lethality, La Albiceleste look great.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates.
