Lionel Messi scores 20th World Cup goal to extend Golden Boot lead

Lionel Messi scored his 20th World Cup goal against Cape Verde, extending his scoring streak to eight consecutive World Cup matches. The Argentina captain also moved ahead in the Golden Boot race as Argentina edged closer to securing a Round of 16 place

Miami Gardens: Lionel Messi has scored again, making Friday’s contest against Cape Verde the record-extending eighth consecutive World Cup match in which Argentina’s captain has scored at least one goal.

Messi’s goal in the 29th minute against Cape Verde was the 20th of his World Cup career, extending his record and moving him two goals ahead of France’s Kylian Mbappe on the all-time list.

---

Messi has seven goals in this year’s tournament, one more than Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot as the top scorer of this World Cup, and has scored 12 times in his last eight World Cup matches.

“For me, it means a lot to be friends with him,” said Rodrigo De Paul, Messi’s teammate with both Argentina and Inter Miami. “For me, friendship is one of the most important things we all have, and I consider myself fortunate to be there and share these moments with him.”

Messi had the game’s first good chance on Friday, his famous left foot sending a shot skidding across the goalmouth but outside the right post in the 15th minute. After being brought down, he had a 25-yard free-kick three minutes later that was easily gathered by Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha.

But the momentum was shifting, and before long, Messi broke through to give Argentina a 1-0 lead. He timed his run perfectly on a ball played into the box to stay onside, controlled the pass and then lifted a shot over Vozinha’s left shoulder from close range.

Messi and Mbappe are far from being the only contenders in the Golden Boot race. Norway’s Erling Haaland and England’s Harry Kane have five goals each entering Friday, while four players – France’s Ousmane Dembele, Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal, Brazil’s Vinicius Junior and Senegal’s Ismaila Sarr – have four. Sarr is out of the running as Senegal has been eliminated.

Norway, England and France have all clinched spots in the Round of 16. Argentina and Messi, the Inter Miami star widely considered the greatest player ever, would join them with a win over Cape Verde.

Messi has never won the Golden Boot. He finished second with seven goals at the 2022 World Cup, one behind Mbappe, and tied for third with four goals at the 2014 World Cup.

If there is a tie at the top of the goal-scoring list when the tournament ends, FIFA will use assists as the first tiebreaker and fewer minutes played as the second tiebreaker. Entering Friday, that meant Mbappe would have the edge over Messi based on his 2-0 lead in assists.