Lionel Messi's record-breaking run of scoring in nine consecutive FIFA World Cup matches came to an end in Argentina's 3-1 extra-time quarter-final victory over Switzerland, but not before the captain had rewritten another chapter of football history.
Messi failed to find the net for the first time since the 2022 Round of 16, ending the longest goalscoring streak ever recorded at a men's World Cup.
Despite not scoring, the 39-year-old still played a decisive role by setting up Argentina's opening goal with his 10th career World Cup assist.
The remarkable streak began in Qatar in 2022 when Messi scored against Australia in the Round of 16. He followed that with goals against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals, Croatia in the semi-finals and twice against France in the final as Argentina lifted the World Cup.
He carried that momentum into the 2026 tournament, opening with his first World Cup hat-trick against Algeria before scoring twice against Austria and once against Jordan in the group stage.
Messi then extended the run into the knockout rounds with goals against Cabo Verde in the Round of 32 and Egypt in the Round of 16, taking his streak to nine successive World Cup matches before Switzerland finally halted it.
Across those nine games, Messi scored 14 goals – an average of more than 1.5 per match – in a run that spanned two World Cups and nearly four years.
The streak also produced another milestone. Messi became the first player in World Cup history to score in six consecutive knockout-stage matches, finding the net in every knockout game from the 2022 Round of 16 through to the 2026 Round of 16.
His hat-trick against Algeria was another landmark, marking the first World Cup hat-trick of his career and helping Argentina begin their title defence in emphatic fashion.
Even with the scoring run over, Messi continues to dominate the tournament's record books. His goal against Egypt took his World Cup tally to 21 – the most in the competition's history – while his assist against Switzerland was his 10th at the finals, each having been provided to a different teammate.
The victory over Switzerland also ensured Argentina's progress to the semi-finals, where Messi will have another opportunity to add to his scoring record as the defending champions continue their pursuit of back-to-back World Cup titles.
Lionel Messi / Argentina / FIFA World Cup 2026
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