Lionel Messi continues to rewrite the record books at the 2026 World Cup. The captain scored for Argentina in the Round of 16 clash against Egypt at Atlanta Stadium to level the score, and in doing so matched a mark that had stood untouched for nearly a century.
Trailing 2-1, Argentina pushed for the equalizer, and they’d find it after a scramble of rebounds inside the box, where Messi found space to meet the loose ball and drilled a powerful strike that was impossible to stop, leveling the score.
With that strike, the Argentine captain moved to eight goals in this year’s tournament, matching Guillermo Stabile’s long-standing record of eight goals in a single World Cup edition, set at the inaugural 1930 tournament — a mark that had stood for 96 years.
After scoring a crucial goal that fueled Argentina’s impressive 3-2 comeback, the Argentine captain now stands alone atop the scoring table with eight goals, one clear of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.
Messi awaits quarterfinal opponent
Things looked dire for Argentina, who trailed 2-0 with just ten minutes left to play. But in a heroic turnaround, the team flipped the match late with goals from Cristian Romero, Messi, and Enzo Fernandez.
see also
Lionel Messi’s age vs Golden Boot rivals: How Kane, Mbappe, and Haaland compare in the scorer charts
With their spot in the quarterfinals secured, Argentina will now face the winner of Colombia vs Switzerland on Saturday, July 11, at Kansas City Stadium.
