Argentina captain Lionel Messi has strengthened his grip on the race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot after scoring his sixth goal of the tournament in his country’s 3-1 victory over Jordan in their final group-stage match.
The 39-year-old came off the bench to score Argentina’s third goal, helping the defending champions finish the group stage with a perfect nine points and secure qualification for the Round of 32.
Messi had already scored Argentina’s previous five goals at the tournament before being rested against Jordan, but still extended his remarkable scoring run with another strike.
His latest goal leaves him two goals clear of his closest challengers in the race for the tournament’s top scorer award.
France’s Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, Norway’s Erling Haaland and Brazil’s Vinicius Junior are all tied behind Messi with four goals each as the knockout stage gets underway.
