Lionel Messi added another chapter to his World Cup legacy on Friday, scoring his 20th career World Cup goal in Argentina's dramatic 3-2 extra-time win over Cape Verde - a number no other player, man or woman, has ever reached in the tournament's history.
Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute, but Cape Verde's stunning underdog run pushed the defending champions to the brink, forcing extra time before Argentina finally advanced. Beyond the goal itself, the night carried extra weight statistically: it marked the 14th different opponent Messi has scored against at a World Cup, a new all-time record, and extended his scoring streak to eight consecutive World Cup matches - the longest in tournament history. It was also his fifth straight goal in a knockout-stage match, a feat unmatched since record-keeping began.
As he has done throughout this tournament, Messi marked the moment with the same quiet gesture fans have come to know well - a point toward the sky, the same tribute he's offered after every record-breaking goal this summer in the boots blessed before he left Argentina.
Argentina now moves on to face Egypt in the Round of 16 on Tuesday, July 7, in Atlanta. Cape Verde, ranked 67th in the world, exits the tournament as one of its most unforgettable stories.
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