Argentina: Argentina captain Lionel Messi added another historic achievement to his glittering career by becoming the first footballer ever to score in seven successive FIFA World Cup matches. The record came during Argentina’s final Group J fixture against Jordan, where the veteran forward also extended his remarkable scoring tally for both club and country.
Messi found the net shortly after coming off the bench in the second half. Awarded a free-kick just outside the penalty area, the Argentine maestro curled a precise low effort through the defensive wall and into the bottom corner, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.
The goal further strengthened Messi’s position as Argentina’s all-time leading scorer and marked his 19th World Cup goal, adding another milestone to his legendary international career.
The 39-year-old also reached another landmark by registering his 72nd career goal from a direct free-kick, including his 12th in Argentina colours. His international tally now stands at 123 goals in 202 appearances, placing him second on the all-time international scoring charts behind Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi had started the match on the bench as Argentina had already secured top spot in Group J before kickoff. He was introduced around the hour mark after Lautaro Martínez, who had earlier converted a penalty, made way for the captain.
With this strike, Messi moved ahead of legendary names such as France’s Just Fontaine and Brazil’s Jairzinho, who had previously shared the record of scoring in six consecutive World Cup matches.
Argentina comfortably progressed to the knockout stage as group winners, while Jordan’s World Cup campaign came to an end after failing to qualify for the next round. Messi’s latest record has once again highlighted his enduring influence, with the Argentine icon continuing to rewrite football history even in the latter stages of his extraordinary career.
