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Lionel Messi continued to rewrite the FIFA World Cup record books on Friday as he became the first player in tournament history to score in eight consecutive World Cup matches during Argentina's Round of 32 clash against Cabo Verde in Miami.
The Argentina captain opened the scoring in the 29th minute to hand the defending champions a 1-0 lead, extending an extraordinary run that now spans eight successive World Cup appearances with a goal. The strike also took Messi's overall World Cup tally to 20 goals, further cementing his status among the greatest players in the tournament's history. With the goal, Messi also became the first footballer to score seven goals in two separate FIFA World Cup editions, according to Opta Paolo. After netting seven times during Argentina's triumphant 2022 campaign in Qatar, the 39-year-old has now matched that tally at the ongoing 2026 tournament, where he has once again emerged as one of the leading contenders for the Golden Boot. Messi entered the knockout fixture with six goals, level with France captain Kylian Mbappe at the top of the scoring charts. His latest strike moved him ahead while also adding another milestone to an already unmatched World Cup career. Despite Argentina's bright start, Cabo Verde responded strongly after the break. Deroy Duarte equalised in the 59th minute to bring the African side back into the contest and silence the Argentine celebrations. Messi continued to orchestrate Argentina's attacks in search of a winner, but veteran Cabo Verde goalkeeper Vozinha produced a series of crucial saves to frustrate the South American giants. His resilient performance ensured the debutants remained level after 90 minutes, forcing the Round of 32 encounter into extra time. The fixture had already marked another landmark in Messi's remarkable international career before kick-off, as he became the first player ever to make 30 FIFA World Cup appearances. He now has the record for the most appearances in the FIFA World Cup (30) and most goals in the FIFA World Cup (20) as well. Argentina, the reigning world champions, are aiming to defend the title they won in Qatar in 2022. The winners of the ongoing contest will advance to the Round of 16, where Egypt await after defeating Australia in a penalty shootout to register their first-ever World Cup knockout victory. At the time of writing, the match remained locked at 1-1 in extra time, with Messi once again at the centre of World Cup history. (ANI)
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