Lionel Messi scores vs Jordan: Argentina captain makes new World Cup record with record-extending goal

Argentina star forward Lionel Messi created a new World Cup record with a record-extending goal on Sunday in the match against Jordan after coming on from the bench.

Lionel Messi has scored six goals in three World Cup 2026 matches. Image: Reuters

FP Sports Desk|Jun 28, 2026, 09:31:06 IST

You can bench him, but you can't stop Lionel Messi from scoring! The 39-year-old Argentina captain, Messi, scored his sixth goal in just the third FIFA World Cup 2026 match on Sunday after coming on from the bench.

With his latest goal against Jordan at the Dallas Stadium, 39-year-old Messi took his overall World Cup tally to a record-extending 19 goals, three more than Kylian Mbappe and Miroslav Klose.

Most World Cup goals:

19 goals — Lionel Messi

16 goals — Miroslav Klose

16 goals — Kylian Mbappé

15 goals — Ronaldo Nazário

With Argentina already qualified for the World Cup 2026 Round of 32, coach Lionel Scaloni decided to start Messi on the bench. But Messi eventually came on in the 80th minute, replacing Lautaro Martinez, who had scored the first goal for Argentina.

Messi scores again for Argentina

Messi scored his goal in the 80th minute, helping Argentina win the match by a 3-1 score. It was a spectacular free-kick goal from outside the box on the day his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo struggled to muster a strong shot against Colombia.

Watch Messi's goal:

Messi had begun the tournament with a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina's 3-2 win before scoring both goals in a 2-0 victory against Austria.

In fact, Messi created a new World Cup record by scoring against Jordan. He is the first men's player to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches.

Argentina's World Cup bracket

The former Barcelona forward also leads the Golden Boot standings for the World Cup 2026 with six goals from three matches. Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Vinicius Junior and Ousmane Dembele are second with four goals each.

Argentina face Cabo Verde in the Round of 32 on Saturday. It's also now confirmed that Argentina cannot face Ronaldo's Portugal before the World Cup final.

They are most likely to face Australia or Egypt in the last 16 and Switzerland/Algeria or Colombia/Ghana in the quarter-finals.

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