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Messi free-kick propels Argentina, leads Golden Boot race.

6/28/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Lionel Messi scored a free-kick against Cape Verde, extending his World Cup streak to seven matches and moving him two goals ahead of Kylian Mbappé in the Golden Boot race with 19th World Cup goal.
Cape Verde made knockout-stage debut under 48-team format while Lionel Scaloni said Lionel Messi entered at 60th minute to give teammates time, with round-of-32 running June 28–July 3 on Fox (English) and Telemundo (Spanish).

History

Historical Context

The Golden Boot, first awarded as the Golden Shoe in 1982, recognized Italy’s Paolo Rossi for his six goals as Italy won its third World Cup title. Since the award’s 2010 renaming and the introduction of tie-breakers in 1994, top scorers like Argentina’s Lionel Messi have continued to shape their teams’ fortunes, exemplified by his 2024 goal tally.

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Story summary

Lionel Messi scored a free-kick against Cape Verde, extending his World Cup streak to seven matches and moving him two goals ahead of Kylian Mbappé in the Golden Boot race with 19th World Cup goal.
Cape Verde made knockout-stage debut under 48-team format while Lionel Scaloni said Lionel Messi entered at 60th minute to give teammates time, with round-of-32 running June 28–July 3 on Fox (English) and Telemundo (Spanish).

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