How many World Cup goals Lionel Messi could score as Argentina legend breaks new record in Jordan victory

Argentina superstar Lionel Messi broke yet another World Cup record as the champions capped off a perfect group stage with a 3-1 win over Jordan on Saturday evening.

The 39-year-old had already achieved the most notable individual feat possible in North America, becoming the World Cup's highest scorer of all time thanks to his brace against Austria.

Messi surpassed long-standing record-holder Miroslav Klose with his 17th and 18th goals on matchday two, which ensured Argentina's progression to the knockout rounds.

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni therefore decided to rest Messi from the first whistle against already-eliminated Jordan, with one eye on next Friday's last-32 clash with debutants Cape Verde.

La Albiceleste were unsurprisingly fine without the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, as Giovani Lo Celso opened the scoring with a fabulous free kick before Lautaro Martinez's penalty doubled their lead.

Lionel Messi scores in seventh consecutive World Cup game

There's no stopping Lionel Messi ?‍?

Six goals in three games so far at the 2026 World Cup ? pic.twitter.com/XPGq9wlBJW
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 28, 2026

Jordan threatened an almighty comeback in the 55th minute when Mousa Tamari found the back of the net on the stretch, but Scaloni then decided to introduce Messi in a triple change in the second half.

The Barcelona legend made his presence felt soon after, emulating Lo Celso by firing home an exquisite low free kick from 25 yards in the 80th minute.

By virtue of scoring his sixth goal of the 2026 World Cup - and 19th all-time at the Mundial - Messi became the first man in history to score in seven consecutive appearances at the competition.

The 39-year-old found the back of the net against all of Australia, Netherlands, Croatia and France in the knockout rounds of the 2022 competition, before firing home against Algeria and Austria earlier this year.

Messi last drew a blank at the World Cup during Argentina's 2-0 group-stage win over Poland; he has otherwise either scored or assisted in each of his last 12 games in the competition.

How many World Cup goals could Lionel Messi score?

Working under the assumption that Argentina and Messi progress to the semi-finals and therefore play five more games in total - including a final or third-placed playoff - the 39-year-old could potentially retire with a staggering 29 World Cup goals to his name.

With six strikes from three games so far, Messi is averaging two goals per game at the 2026 World Cup; if he plays five more games at his current scoring rate, 10 more will fly into the back of the net.

However, taking Messi's overall World Cup scoring rate into account - 19 goals in 29 games, an average of 0.65 per match - the Argentine icon would score a total of nine goals in this year's competition, and 22 overall.

Nine goals would also be enough for Messi to win the Golden Boot in every World Cup since 1970, when Gerd Muller struck 10 times for West Germany

The Inter Miami attacker has never won the World Cup Golden Boot, although he claimed the Golden Ball for the best player in both 2014 and 2022.