Lionel Messi continued his remarkable World Cup form on Friday, scoring his 20th career tournament goal as Argentina survived a dramatic 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde to reach the Round of 16.
The goal not only extended Messi’s World Cup scoring record but also moved him two goals clear of France’s Kylian Mbappé on the all-time World Cup scoring list. It also marked his eighth consecutive World Cup match with a goal, continuing a streak that began during Argentina’s successful 2022 title campaign.
Despite the milestone, Argentina faced a stern challenge from tournament debutants Cape Verde before eventually securing victory.
Reflecting on the performance, Messi acknowledged there were positives to build on while admitting the team still had areas to improve. He also praised Cape Verde for making the match extremely difficult.
Messi now leads the Golden Boot race with seven goals, one ahead of Mbappé. During his current eight-match World Cup scoring streak, the Argentine captain has found the net 12 times, once again proving crucial to his team's success.
Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul highlighted his admiration for Messi, describing it as a privilege to play alongside and share memorable moments with one of football's greatest players.
Another Record-Breaking Performance
Messi threatened early in the match, narrowly missing the target with a left-footed effort in the 15th minute before seeing a free kick comfortably saved by Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha.
His breakthrough came in the 29th minute after making a perfectly timed run onto a lofted pass from Lisandro Martinez. After controlling the ball inside the penalty area, Messi calmly lifted his shot over Vozinha to give Argentina a 1-0 lead.
The goal was his 124th international strike, leaving him second only to Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored 146 international goals.
Messi celebrated by pointing toward Martinez in appreciation of the assist before being surrounded by teammates.
Argentina Forced to Fight for Victory
Although Argentina entered the match as overwhelming favorites, Cape Verde refused to back down. The underdogs equalized twice during the contest, forcing the defending champions into extra time.
Messi played an important role in the winning goal as well, delivering a corner that eventually resulted in the decisive own goal midway through the second half of extra time.
After the match, Messi praised his team's determination, saying Argentina continued competing until the final whistle.
Golden Boot Race Intensifies
With the knockout stage underway, the race for the tournament's top scorer remains highly competitive.
Messi currently leads with seven goals, followed by Mbappé with six. Norway's Erling Haaland and England captain Harry Kane entered Friday with five goals each, while France's Ousmane Dembele, Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal, Brazil's Vinícius Júnior and Senegal's Ismaila Sarr each had four. Sarr is no longer in contention following Senegal's elimination.
Argentina, France, England and Norway have all advanced to the Round of 16, ensuring several leading Golden Boot contenders remain in the tournament.
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha praised his team's effort despite the defeat, saying the players gave everything they had to try to earn a victory.
Messi has never won the World Cup Golden Boot. He finished runner-up in 2022 with seven goals, one behind Mbappé, and tied for third place with four goals in 2014.
If players finish level on goals at the end of the tournament, FIFA will determine the Golden Boot winner first by assists and then by the fewest minutes played. Before Friday's match, Mbappé held the advantage over Messi in assists, but Messi now sits alone at the top of the scoring chart.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said the narrow victory was another reminder that no opponent at the World Cup should ever be underestimated.