Lionel Messi just did something no one has done in over three decades. The Argentine forward scored six goals during the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage, making him the first player to accomplish that feat since Oleg Salenko managed it back in 1994.
The numbers behind Messi’s historic run
Messi’s group-stage tear included a hat-trick against Algeria and additional goals against Austria and Jordan. The Jordan match featured a free-kick goal that, by all accounts, looked like something ripped from a video game highlight reel.
He became the first player in World Cup history to score in seven consecutive matches. His total World Cup goal tally now sits somewhere between 18 and 19, further extending his lead as the all-time top scorer in the tournament’s history. He also holds the record for the most World Cup goals scored from outside the penalty area, with six total.
Argentina won the 2022 World Cup with Messi as its emotional and tactical centerpiece. Argentina advanced from the group stage as defending champions, and Messi’s scoring streak made them look less like a team defending a title and more like a team announcing one.
