Buenos Aires: Lionel Messi added another remarkable milestone to his legendary international career, making his 202nd appearance for Argentina in their 3-1 victory over Jordan in the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage. The appearance moved the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner to second on the all-time list for men's international caps, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo, who has represented Portugal 231 times.
Although rested at the start, Messi made an immediate impact after coming off the bench, curling home a trademark free-kick to seal Argentina's perfect group-stage campaign and cap another record-breaking night.
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The goal made Messi the first men's player to score in seven consecutive FIFA World Cup matches, extending a streak that began with a hat-trick against Algeria before a brace against Austria and the strike against Jordan.
The Argentina captain also became just the fourth player to score in all three group-stage matches at a single FIFA World Cup since the current format was introduced in 1998, joining Cristiano Ronaldo (2018), David Villa (2010) and Fernando Torres (2010).
Messi's latest strike took his overall World Cup tally to 19 goals, further strengthening his record as Argentina's all-time leading scorer in the tournament. With six goals, he also finished the group stage as the competition's leading scorer.
The 39-year-old added yet another historic feat by becoming the first player to reach the knockout stage in six consecutive FIFA World Cups, spanning from Germany 2006 to the ongoing 2026 edition.
Argentina completed the group stage with maximum points after goals from Giovani Lo Celso, Lautaro Martinez and Messi secured a 3-1 win over Jordan. Musa Al-Taamari scored Jordan's lone goal.
The reigning world champions will now face Cape Verde in the Round of 32 as Messi continues his pursuit of another World Cup title while rewriting football's record books.
Published: 29 Jun 2026, 01:44 am IST
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