World Cup 2026: Messi Broke Pele's Record in Cabo Verde Match

In the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match held in Miami, which witnessed great excitement, Argentina captain Lionel Messi made history. The 39-year-old star football player gave his team a 1-0 lead by shaking the nets in the 29th minute of the match, but Cabo Verde equalized the situation twice, making it very difficult for Argentina. Goals by Duarte and Sidny Lopes Cabral put the defending champions Argentina in a difficult position against the African team, but Lisandro Martinez's magnificent goal in stoppage time brought great relief. However, in the 6th minute of normal time, the ball hit Diney Borges' arm after Cristian Romero's header and went into the net, allowing Argentina to win the match 3-2 and qualify for the last 16. Following this critical victory, Argentina focused on the match to be held on July 7, preparing to face Egypt in the next round.

Beyond the match score, the real big news was the historical achievements written by Lionel Messi. With this goal, Messi provided 12 goals/contributions in FIFA World Cup qualifying rounds, officially breaking the record of 11 held by legendary Brazilian footballer Pele in 1970. This achievement made Messi the player with the most contributions in qualifying rounds in both men's and women's World Cup history, turning him into a symbol beyond Pele. Additionally, the Argentine star solidified his title as the top scorer in the tournament's history, reaching 20 goals and widening the gap on his closest pursuer Kylian Mbappe (18 goals). Messi also made his mark by becoming the first footballer to score in 8 consecutive matches in World Cup history.

Continuing his success not limited to a single tournament or season, Messi earned the title of being the first and only player in history to score at least 7 goals in two different World Cup tournaments, in 2022 and 2026. These statistics prove that he is not just a short-term star, but a rare indicator of consistent performance in football history. Messi, who was an important figure for his team throughout the tournament with his performance and broke records one by one, continues to be Argentina's biggest weapon on the path to the championship. This high-level performance, which he still maintains despite his age, has turned into a fountain for world football.

Argentina's victory in this match provided a great morale boost in terms of both score and records, while also meaning a guaranteed entry into the next round. Under the leadership of the 39-year-old captain, the team has already started making calculations for the match they will play against Egypt in the Round of 16. Argentina, shown as one of the favorites of the tournament, received appreciation worldwide for the difficult struggle they gave against a team like Cabo Verde. The tense moments on the field and all uncertainties regarding the score turned into a joy of victory with the final whistle, and Argentine football players experienced the pride of overcoming this difficult obstacle. This match demonstrated how surprising and competitive the tournament can be.

Lionel Messi, who is now a new record holder in the football world, has already solidified his place among the greatest footballers in Argentina's history, and his legend will grow as the tournament progresses. Breaking the record of legendary Brazilian Pele from the past will go down in history not only as numerical data but also as an event showing the solidification of a new leader. While Argentina continues on its way with the confidence brought by this difficult victory, on the other hand, countries such as Canada, Brazil, Paraguay, Morocco, Norway, France, Mexico, England, Belgium, USA, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Egypt and Colombia, who wrote their names among the last 16 teams in the tournament, continue the excitement of the world cup. At the same time, his approach to Argentine forward Guillermo Stábile's 8-goal record from 1930 and South American-specific records shows that he is still insatiable for goals.