sports
Messi leads 2026 World Cup goal-scoring race with seven goals
Argentina forward Lionel Messi has seven goals after the Round of 32. Four other players trail with five or six goals each.
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Lionel Messi scored the opening goal in Argentina’s 3-2 extra-time win over Cape Verde on July 3, bringing his tournament total to seven. The goal extended Messi’s scoring streak to eight consecutive World Cup matches dating back to 2022.
Current standings Kylian Mbappé has six goals after scoring twice for France against Sweden. Harry Kane and Erling Haaland each have five goals. Four additional players have four goals: Mikel Oyarzabal, Ousmane Dembélé, Vinícius Júnior and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Path forward The race continues through four remaining knockout rounds.
The player whose team advances furthest will have the most opportunities to add goals.
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