Messi One Goal Away from World Cup History
Lionel Messi sits tied with Jairzinho and Just Fontaine at six consecutive World Cup matches with a goal. One more against Jordan, and the record is his alone.
The Numbers
- Current streak6 games
- Goals in that run10
- Career World Cup goals18
- Matches to break record1
How He Got Here
Messi reached six straight games with a goal by scoring twice against Austria this past Monday, tying a mark that's stood for decades. Jairzinho did it across Brazil's perfect 1970 campaign. Just Fontaine achieved it in a single tournament—1958, when he netted 13 times in six matches, a World Cup record that still hasn't been touched.
Coach Scaloni confirmed Messi will start Saturday's match against Jordan on the bench, making his availability for the record uncertain. But if he enters and scores, he walks away with a piece of history no one else can claim.
The current six-game run spans two tournaments. In Qatar 2022, Messi scored in all four knockout rounds—five goals from the Round of 16 to the final. This year, he's already added five more in just two matches, and the streak is alive.
The Company He Keeps
Fontaine's 1958 remains the gold standard for a single World Cup: 13 goals in six games, becoming top scorer and setting a record that's outlasted every generation since. Jairzinho's 1970 streak came with seven goals as Brazil won their third title. Messi's ten goals across his six-game run fall right between the two.
The gap behind them is wide. Fifteen players have managed five consecutive matches with a goal—names like Eusébio, Gerd Müller, Rivaldo, and James Rodríguez—but none reached six until Messi joined Fontaine and Jairzinho this week.
Longest World Cup Scoring Streaks
| Player | Streak | Goals | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Just Fontaine (FRA) | 6 games | 13 | 1958 |
| Jairzinho (BRA) | 6 games | 7 | 1970 |
| Lionel Messi (ARG) | 6 games | 10 | 2022-26 |
| Eusébio (POR) | 5 games | 9 | 1966 |
| Gerd Müller (GER) | 5 games | 10 | 1970 |
| James Rodríguez (COL) | 5 games | 6 | 2014 |
A Career Built on Records
Messi is now the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 18 goals, a tally he's built across six tournaments—a feat only Cristiano Ronaldo and Guillermo Ochoa have matched in terms of editions played. His 26 direct goal contributions (18 goals, 8 assists) surpass Pelé's 21, and he holds the records for most matches (28) and most wins (18) in World Cup history.
He remains the only player to score in every phase of a single tournament: group stage, Round of 16, quarterfinal, semifinal, and final in Qatar 2022. And after his two long-range strikes against Algeria, Messi now leads in World Cup goals from outside the box with six—breaking Rivelino's record of five, a stat FIFA has tracked since 1966.
What's at Stake Saturday
- Sole possession of the all-time record for consecutive World Cup matches with a goal, leaving Jairzinho and Fontaine behind
- A chance to extend his own record as the tournament's all-time leading scorer beyond 18 goals
- Momentum for Argentina as they push deeper into the 2026 World Cup, already setting records for total goals scored in a single edition
FAQ
Will Messi start against Jordan?Coach Scaloni confirmed Messi will begin the match on the bench, but he remains available to enter later in the game.
How many World Cups has Messi played in?Six: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026. Only Cristiano Ronaldo and Guillermo Ochoa share that record.
What's Fontaine's single-tournament record?Just Fontaine scored 13 goals in six matches at the 1958 World Cup, a record that's stood for over six decades and remains the most goals ever scored in a single tournament.