Sunday, 9 August 2026Belfast · Northern Ireland

Retrospective archiveHistorical reports were compiled from linked contemporaneous sources. Dates refer to the events covered.How the archive works

Sport7 July 2026Archive brief

In association football, Argentine forward and captain Lionel Messi becomes the first player to score in nine consecutive World Cup matches (including the previous edition)

In association football, Argentine forward and captain Lionel Messi becomes the first player to score in nine consecutive World Cup matches (including the previous edition), after scoring in the team's 3–2 victory against Egypt in the round of 16.

By Belfast Herald Sport2 min read

Image not availableNo sufficiently relevant, reusable photograph is held for this archived report.

The development was among the significant sport stories being followed from World. Contemporary coverage attributed the principal details to ABC News on 7 July 2026.

This report belongs to The Belfast Herald's retrospective archive. It was compiled from the cited reporting and preserves the information available on the date shown; later developments are covered separately.