Lionel Messi Becomes First Player to Score in 7 Straight World Cup Matches

Argentine talisman Lionel Messi has achieved another unprecedented milestone, becoming the first player in men's FIFA World Cup history to score in seven consecutive matches. Coming off the bench as a second-half substitute, the 39-year-old captain secured the historic feat with a phenomenal 80th-minute free-kick during Argentina's 3–1 group stage victory over Jordan at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

By finding the back of the net, Messi broke a decades-old tie with France’s Just Fontaine (1958) and Brazil’s Jairzinho (1970), who both held the previous record of scoring in six consecutive World Cup appearances.

The Anatomy of a Historic Scoring Streak

Messi’s historic run bridges two editions of the tournament, showcasing clinical consistency across consecutive matches on the global stage:

• 2022 World Cup (Qatar): Scored sequentially against Australia (Round of 16), the Netherlands (Quarter-finals), Croatia (Semi-finals), and a magnificent brace against France in the final.

• 2026 World Cup (USA/Mexico/Canada): Maintained momentum by netting a sensational hat-trick against Algeria in the opener, a brace against Austria, and the definitive set-piece against Jordan.

Extending the All-Time Scoring Records

Beyond securing the consecutive matches record, the spectacular 25-meter curled strike pushed Messi's overall World Cup tally to a record-extending 19 career goals, distancing him further from Germany's Miroslav Klose (16 goals).

With six goals in the ongoing 2026 campaign alone, Messi currently leads the Golden Boot race. Having cleared Group J as undefeated winners, Argentina shifts focus to the knockout rounds, where the reigning world champions will face Cape Verde in the Round of 32 on July 3.