Messi Sets World Cup Milestones with Sixth Tournament and Stunning Goal
Argentina’s opening game of the 2026 World Cup saw Lionel Messi deliver a historic performance. The Argentine captain played his sixth tournament, setting a new record with 27 World Cup appearances and moving into second place for assists.
His spectacular long‑range strike in the 17th minute opened the scoring and matched Cristiano Ronaldo as one of only two players to net in five separate editions. Messi’s display cemented his status as one of the competition’s all‑time greats.
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| Category | Football |
|---|---|
| Published | |
| Language | en |
| Free | Free — headline and summary on this page; no account |
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