The Argentina national football team has arrived in Miami, United States, ahead of their round of 32 match in the FIFA World Cup against Cabo Verde, scheduled for Saturday. The defending champions have been nearly flawless in the tournament so far, winning all their group-stage matches.
Messi in record-breaking form
Argentina's 39-year-old legend Lionel Messi is in top form, tied with French superstar Kylian Mbappe for the Golden Boot with six goals each. In their final group-stage match against Jordan, which Argentina won 3-1, Messi scored a brace. He etched another remarkable milestone into football history by becoming the first men's player to score in seven consecutive FIFA World Cup matches.
Messi also became the fourth player to score in all three group-stage matches of a single World Cup since the format was introduced in 1998, joining Cristiano Ronaldo (2018), David Villa (2010), and Fernando Torres (2010). His record-breaking streak began with a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina's opening Group J fixture, followed by a brace against Austria.
Messi's impact off the bench
Although rested for the start of Argentina's final group game against Jordan, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner came off the bench in the 60th minute and capped the victory with a trademark free-kick in the 80th minute, extending his unprecedented scoring sequence to seven successive World Cup appearances. The strike also took Messi's tally to 19 FIFA World Cup goals, further extending his record as Argentina's all-time leading scorer in the tournament.
Argentina's group-stage performance
Argentina registered a 3-0 win over Algeria to start the campaign, followed by a 2-0 win over Austria, and ended the league stage with a 3-1 win over Jordan. Posting on their official X handle, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) wrote, "#SeniorTeam We're in Miami!"
