Lionel Messi just did something no footballer has ever done. The Argentine forward has now scored in eight consecutive FIFA World Cup matches, a streak that spans two tournaments and four years of defying every reasonable expectation about what a 39-year-old can do on the world’s biggest stage.

The record-extending goal came against Cape Verde in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup, hosted across the US, Canada, and Mexico. It followed a free-kick goal against Jordan during group-stage play in Dallas around June 27-28. That’s eight straight World Cup appearances with at least one goal, a feat that eluded legends like Brazil’s Jairzinho and France’s Just Fontaine.

The streak, game by game

Messi’s run of consecutive World Cup scoring matches bridges two tournaments. The first four came during Argentina’s triumphant 2022 campaign in Qatar, with goals against Australia, Netherlands, Croatia, and France.

Then came the 2026 edition, where Messi opened his account against Algeria, followed it up against Austria, curled in the free kick against Jordan, and then punished Cape Verde to make it eight in a row.

Earlier in the 2026 tournament, Messi also became the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with his strike against Austria. This is his sixth World Cup, a number that itself borders on the absurd for an outfield player.

Why crypto cares about a soccer record

Messi has maintained connections to the crypto sector through various fan token promotions and endorsements over the years, and every headline-grabbing achievement has a tendency to ripple through that corner of the digital asset market.

Fan tokens are crypto assets that give holders voting rights on minor club decisions and access to exclusive content and rewards. Platforms like Socios have built an entire ecosystem around them. Major sporting events, particularly the World Cup, tend to generate volatile but potentially profitable movements in fan token valuations, with trading volumes on platforms offering related tokens historically seeing spikes around marquee moments.

What investors should actually watch

The 2026 World Cup is being played across North American time zones, which means peak viewership overlaps with peak US trading hours. That’s a structural difference from Qatar 2022, where many of the biggest matches happened while American markets were less active.

Messi is 39 and competing in his sixth World Cup. The fan token model has leaned heavily on his star power, and his retirement will test whether these tokens can sustain interest without the regular dopamine hit of competitive milestones.