Lionel Messi's incredible World Cup record comes to an end after no goal vs. Switzerland

Lionel Messi’s incredible World Cup record was halted after he failed to score against Switzerland, even as Argentina advanced with a 3-1 win in extra time to reach the semi-finals. Messi, the Golden Boot leader, did not add to his tally in the match, though he assisted on a goal that helped extend his all-time lead in World Cup assists. The key change came in his scoring run: Messi’s streak of scoring in consecutive World Cup matches ended at 10. The run stretched back to Argentina’s 2022 Round of 16 match vs. Australia, totaling 14 goals across eight different games in 2022 and subsequent qualifiers. He opened his 2026 campaign with a hat-trick vs. Algeria and scored in group-stage and knockout matches, before the sequence ended versus Switzerland. He still has assist momentum and will face England in the next round.