{"id":4911,"date":"2026-07-03T23:04:38","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T23:04:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=4911"},"modified":"2026-07-03T23:04:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T23:04:38","slug":"lionel-messi-scores-20th-world-cup-goal-extends-streak-to-8-games-and-takes-golden-boot-lead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=4911","title":{"rendered":"Lionel Messi scores 20th World Cup goal, extends streak to 8 games and takes Golden Boot lead"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) \u2014 Lionel Messi has scored again, making Friday\u2019s contest against Cape Verde the record-extending eighth consecutive World Cup match in which Argentina\u2019s captain has delivered at least one goal.<\/p>\n

Read more Flyers sign Ducks center Carlsson to 5-year, $90 million offer sheet; Anaheim has 7 days to match<\/a><\/p>\n

Messi\u2019s 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\u2019s Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 on the all-time list.<\/p>\n

Messi has seven goals in this World Cup \u2014 one more than Mbapp\u00e9 in the race for the Golden Boot as the top scorer of the tournament \u2014 and has scored 12 times in his last eight World Cup matches.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, it represents a lot to be friends with him,\u201d said Rodrigo De Paul, Messi\u2019s teammate with Argentina and Inter Miami. \u201cFor me, friendship is one of the most important things that we all have and I consider myself fortunate to be there, to share these moments with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

And there has been no shortage of moments.<\/p>\n

Messi had the game\u2019s first good chance Friday, his all-world left foot sending a shot skidding across the goal mouth but outside of the right post in the 15th minute. After getting taken down, he had a 25-yard free kick three minutes later that was easily gobbled up by Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha.<\/p>\n

But the momentum was shifting, and before long, Messi broke through for a 1-0 lead. He timed his run perfectly on a ball played into the box by defender Lisandro Martinez to stay onside, controlled the pass and then lifted a shot over Vozinha\u2019s left shoulder from close range for his 124th international goal. Only Portugal\u2019s Cristiano Ronaldo, with 146, has more.<\/p>\n

Read more US striker Balogun says a yellow card, not red card, would have been \u2018fair\u2019 at the World Cup<\/a><\/p>\n

Messi outstretched his arms and pointed to Martinez, saluting the pass, before teammates mobbed him in celebration.<\/p>\n

Messi and Mbapp\u00e9 are far from the only contenders in the Golden Boot race: Norway\u2019s Erling Haaland and England\u2019s Harry Kane each had five goals entering Friday, while four players \u2014 France\u2019s Ousmane Dembele, Spain\u2019s Mikel Oyarzabal, Brazil\u2019s Vin\u00edcius J\u00fanior and Senegal\u2019s Ismaila Sarr \u2014 had four. Sarr is out of the running since Senegal has been eliminated.<\/p>\n

Norway, England and France have advanced to the Round of 16; Argentina and Messi, the Inter Miami star who is widely considered the greatest player ever, would join them with a win over Cape Verde.<\/p>\n

Messi has never won the Golden Boot. He finished second with seven goals \u2014 one behind Mbapp\u00e9 \u2014 while leading Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title, and he tied for third with four goals in 2014.<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s a tie atop the goal list when the tournament ends, FIFA will use assists as the first tiebreaker and fewest minutes played as the second tiebreaker. Entering Friday, that meant Mbapp\u00e9 would have had the edge over Messi based on his 2-0 lead in assists.<\/p>\n

Read more Egypt wins in World Cup knockout round debut with 4-2 penalty shootout edge over Australia<\/a><\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

\n See more of AP\u2019s World Cup coverage here\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. 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