Argentine forward and captain Lionel Messi becomes the first player to make 30 FIFA World Cup appearances, score 20 World Cup goals, and score in eight consecutive World Cup matches (including the previous edition), after scoring in the team's 3–2 victory against Cape Verde in the round of 32.
The development was among the significant sport stories being followed from World. Contemporary coverage attributed the principal details to AP on 3 July 2026.
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