Lionel Messi has scored in 5 consecutive World Cup final tournament matches, and one more goal against Austria will equal the all-time record of 6 goals, held by Just Fontaine and Jairzinho.
Lionel Messi is turning the 2026 World Cup into a stage of records. After scoring in 5 consecutive World Cup matches, the Argentine superstar is just one goal away from the great milestone. If he scores against Austria in the second matchday of Group J, Messi will equal the record of scoring in 6 consecutive World Cup matches, an achievement currently co-held by Just Fontaine and Jairzinho.
This scoring streak is even more special because it extends from the 2022 World Cup championship journey to the opening match at the 2026 World Cup. At the age of 38, Messi is no longer as explosive with speed as before, but his positioning, close-range handling, and finishing are still at a different level. Every time Argentina needs a decisive moment, he remains their greatest anchor. Messi has scored in 5 consecutive matches at the World Cup, just 1 match away from the record
The record Messi is aiming for belongs to two icons of World Cup history. Just Fontaine once scored in 6 consecutive matches at the 1958 World Cup, the tournament where he set a record of 13 goals in a single World Cup. Jairzinho later replicated the same feat at Mexico 1970, scoring in every match on the journey to leading Brazil to the title.
Not only closing in on the consecutive scoring milestone, Messi also possesses a series of records at the 2026 World Cup. He became the first male player to appear in 6 different World Cups, while continuing to extend the record for the most matches played in the tournament’s history. Messi has also risen to the top group of the all-time goalscoring list with 16 goals, tying with Klose.
Messi’s impact does not lie solely in the number of goals. He is also the only player to provide assists in 5 World Cups, a symbol of enduring influence across generations of Argentina. From a young talent in 2006 to the leader who brought the Albiceleste to the top of the world in 2022, Messi always knows how to leave his mark in big moments.
The match between Argentina and Austria is therefore not only significant in the race to advance in Group J. It is also an opportunity for Messi to write a new chapter in his World Cup legacy. With just one more goal, he will join the ranks of Fontaine and Jairzinho, while solidifying his status as one of the greatest players in history.
