Lionel Messi breaks world record: Argentina finishes group stage with 100% record

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has set another unique milestone in football history after appearing in the final group stage match of the 2026 World Cup against Jordan. In the match held at the stadium in Dallas, the defending champions won 3-1, advancing to the knockout stage with maximum points. This is reported by Goal.com news reports.

According to Goal.com, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni decided to rest the main squad since the team had already secured their knockout stage spot ahead of schedule. Consequently, Lionel Messi started the game on the bench. Despite the rotation in the Argentine lineup, they maintained a strong advantage in the first half. Giovani Lo Celso, who missed the 2022 World Cup due to injury, opened the scoring with a free kick, and later Lautaro Martinez converted a penalty to make it 2-0.

Historic record: Seven games, seven goals

Coming on in the 60th minute, Lionel Messi continued his record-breaking streak. In the 80th minute, the 39-year-old forward skillfully executed a free kick, becoming the first player in World Cup history to score in seven consecutive matches. This is an unprecedented achievement that has never been reached by any other player in world football history.

This goal brings Messi's total World Cup goal tally to 19, further solidifying his position as the tournament's all-time leading scorer. He has now significantly pulled ahead of Miroslav Klose and Kylian Mbappe, who have 16 goals each, and the legendary Brazilian Ronaldo Nazario with 15.

Additionally, Lionel Messi has taken the lead in the Golden Boot race for the current 2026 World Cup. He currently has 6 goals, leading his closest pursuers — Vinicius Junior, Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland — by more than two goals.

After the match, Lionel Messi celebrated the victory on his social media pages, emphasizing team unity. "Another win to close the group stage. We are still together...", the Argentina captain wrote to his fans.

The Argentina national team became one of the few teams, alongside Mexico and France, to finish the group stage with a 100% record. Now, the "Albiceleste" will prepare for the Round of 16 matches to defend their championship title. Messi's incredible form is raising high hopes among fans that Argentina will secure the gold medals once again.