In the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32, Argentina defeated Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time to advance to the Round of 16. Messi, who scored Argentina's opening goal in the match, was named the official FIFA World Cup Player of the Match.

In this match against Cape Verde, Messi started, marking his 30th FIFA World Cup appearance. In the 29th minute, Messi scored to give Argentina a 1-0 lead, netting his 20th career FIFA World Cup goal. He has now scored in 8 consecutive FIFA World Cup matches, with both achievements setting new FIFA World Cup historical records.

Messi, who played the full 120 minutes of the match, had 9 shots, 6 on target, created 4 chances, and was fouled 5 times, all of which were game highs.

Ultimately, Messi was named the official FIFA World Cup Player of the Match.

AF's PC site is now live! Browse the latest news, comments, match details and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com