The Argentine captain equaled Brazilian icon Marta, whose 17 goals in the women’s tournament had been the overall World Cup record, by netting his fourth goal in the 2026 edition.
This goal extended Messi’s goal-scoring streak to six consecutive World Cup matches.
He kicked off the tournament with a hat-trick against Algeria, becoming the oldest player at 38 to score three goals in a World Cup match and the first to participate in six different editions of the tournament.
Messi finished a brilliant Argentina counterattack in Dallas, initiating the play before arriving unmarked in the penalty area to dispatch a first-time shot into the bottom corner from Facundo Medina’s low cross.
The Argentine star, who will turn 39 later this week, had earlier squandered a golden chance when he missed a penalty following a foul on Lautaro Martinez.
The goal ignited celebrations among a host of Argentina supporters in Dallas, with chants of Messi’s name reverberating through the stadium as, four decades after Diego Maradona’s legendary performances, Argentina’s current number 10 continued to craft his own World Cup legacy.
This goal gave Argentina the lead in their second Group J match as the South American team aimed to secure advancement to the knockout stage after starting their campaign with a 3-0 victory over Algeria.
