7M - Seven Heaven: Messi writes stunning World Cup history and surges clear in Golden Boot race

Lionel Messi has carved out another unprecedented World Cup milestone, pulling ahead in the tournament’s Golden Boot standings with yet another crucial goal for Argentina.

Already the player with the most matches and goals in World Cup finals history, Messi now holds the record for the longest consecutive scoring run ever seen at the competition.

The Argentina skipper netted his sixth goal of this World Cup, finding the back of the net for his seventh successive World Cup fixture dating back to the Round of 16 stage of the 2022 Qatar tournament. This extraordinary streak lifts him past legendary figures France’s Just Fontaine and Brazil icon Jairzinho, who previously shared the record.

Messi started the clash against Jordan on the bench and was only brought on for the final 30 minutes of play. At that stage, the contest hung finely in the balance, as Jordan substitute Mousa Al Tamari had pulled one back to cut Argentina’s lead to 2-1 at half-time.

With ten minutes remaining and Argentina awarded a 25-yard free kick, there was no doubt who would step up to take it. Once more, Jordan keeper Yazeed Abulaila’s poor positioning cost his side dearly at a set piece – a flaw that had undone him earlier in the match.

Abulaila was powerless to stop Giovani Lo Celso curling home a first-half free kick, and he was also beaten before the half-hour mark when Lautaro Martínez converted a penalty.

Jordan extended their unique record of scoring in every match of their maiden World Cup campaign, with every player on their squad earning the unforgettable experience of sharing a pitch with Messi, leaving most supporters satisfied with the contest.

The only exception was Argentina shot-stopper Emiliano Martínez. Jordan’s consolation goal means he remains four clean sheets short of compatriot Sergio Romero’s national record, after some sloppy defensive work opened the door for Al Tamari’s strike.

Martínez and striker Lautaro Martínez were the sole two players retained in Argentina’s starting lineup from their prior win over Austria. Jordan head coach Jamal Sellami also planned widespread rotation to give fringe players vital World Cup minutes, limiting his adjustments solely to the forward line, where Ali Azaizeh and Odeh Fakhoury were handed starts.
Lo Celso thought he had opened the scoring as early as the seventh minute, only to be ruled offside after a quiet opening stretch. Soon after, Mohannad Abu Taha fouled the former Tottenham man on the edge of the box, handing Argentina a dangerous free kick. The Argentine defensive wall split to create space, and Lo Celso bent his strike into the top corner; Abulaila had shifted his weight left and could not recover to make a save.

Jordan felt hard done by Argentina’s second goal. After Lautaro Martínez struck the crossbar, Marcos Senesi headed goalwards, only to be denied by Abulaila’s brilliant reflex stop. Defender Nizar Al Rashdan stretched to block the follow-up and caught Senesi in the head in the process. Though the tackle was not dangerous, VAR urged referee Istvan Kovacs to review the incident, who pointed to the spot, allowing Lautaro Martínez to double Argentina’s lead.

Stand-in captain Nicolás Otamendi missed a golden chance to make it three in first-half stoppage time, sending a free header wide, while Julián Álvarez forced another sharp save from Abulaila right before the interval.

Jordan replaced front pair Azaizeh and Fakhoury at half-time, and the crowd roared when Messi emerged to begin his pre-match warm-up. Al Tamari spurned a half-chance for Jordan, blazing his effort well off target, before Lautaro Martínez rattled the crossbar at the opposite end.

Jordan’s moment of comeback arrived shortly after. Right-back Ehsan Haddad delivered a pinpoint cross, and Rennes forward Al Tamari broke past Exequiel Paredes to beat Emiliano Martínez and cut the deficit to 2-1.

Scaloni responded with a triple substitution, introducing Messi for the final half-hour. The Argentine captain’s first long-range free kick sailed wide, and his introduction initially seemed to have little impact, with the game threatening to fade out without further goals.

But when Argentina won another free kick late on, Messi delivered. Abulaila misorganised his defensive wall and positioned himself poorly once again. While Messi’s strike carried plenty of curl, it settled centrally in the net, leaving the Jordan goalkeeper rooted to the spot.

With this goal, Messi’s remarkable run in his sixth World Cup – another record he shares with few others – continues. All signs point to him stretching his scoring streak to eight consecutive games when Argentina face Cape Verde in the Round of 32 next week.