Age continues to be little more than a number for Lionel Messi. The Argentina captain has once again demonstrated that his hunger for goals remains as strong as ever, producing another decisive performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Coming off the bench against Jordan on Monday, the 39-year-old needed only 20 minutes to make his mark, curling a superb free-kick into the net in the 80th minute to take his tournament tally to six goals.
That strike has lifted Messi to the top of the Golden Boot standings on his own, placing him ahead of some of world football’s brightest attacking stars, including Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Vinícius Júnior. With six goals from just three appearances, the Argentine legend has become one of the defining figures of the group stage, reinforcing the belief that experience and quality can still outweigh youth at the highest level.
Messi had already played a pivotal role in Argentina’s opening two group matches, helping the defending champions establish themselves among the tournament favourites. Against Jordan, however, his influence was particularly significant. He entered the match in the 60th minute with Argentina holding a narrow 2-1 advantage while Jordan continued to threaten an equaliser. His introduction immediately brought greater control and attacking sharpness to Argentina’s play before his expertly taken free-kick effectively sealed the victory.
The performance adds another remarkable chapter to Messi’s extraordinary World Cup career. At the 2022 tournament in Qatar, he scored seven goals and finished with the Silver Boot while guiding Argentina to the world title. This time, he has already reached six goals before the knockout rounds have even begun, placing himself firmly among the leading contenders to claim the Golden Boot for the first time in his career.
Argentina will now turn their attention to the Round of 32, where they are scheduled to face Cape Verde on 3 July. The knockout stage presents a far greater challenge, with every match carrying the risk of elimination. Even so, Messi’s current form provides enormous encouragement for the reigning champions.
If he maintains this remarkable scoring rhythm, Messi could not only secure the tournament’s top goalscorer award but also strengthen Argentina’s bid to retain the World Cup. With the competition entering its decisive phase, the race for individual honours remains open, yet the Argentine captain has established himself as the man everyone else is chasing.
