2026 World Cup: Messi equals Cafu's record and reclaims the Golden Boot from Mbappé

At 39, Lionel Messi will play his third World Cup final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. A feat previously achieved only by Cafu. And, following a goalless but decisive semi-final, he has reclaimed the lead in the Golden Boot race from Kylian Mbappé.

Atlanta, Wednesday night. Completely neutralized for an hour by the virtually invisible Elliott Anderson, the Argentine captain looked like a 39-year-old. Then he touched the ball twice. Two. And England went home.

Argentina won 2-1 in the 2026 World Cup semi-final, with Lionel Messi providing two assists for his team's two goals. He didn't score himself, but that didn't stop him from shifting two rankings in the same evening.

Cafu's record fell on a silver platter

The first is pure history. By reaching the final, Messi will play in his third World Cup final in six appearances on Sunday, July 19, in East Rutherford. Before him, only one man had achieved this feat: Cafu, a finalist with Brazil in 1994, 1998, and 2002. Rarely has a player pushed the boundaries of his own longevity so far.

A fourth star on Sunday would give the Albiceleste a consecutive double that no one has achieved since Pelé and Garrincha's Brazil in 1958 and 1962. That's practically an eternity.

The second ranking, however, is sure to cause a stir in French homes. With his two assists against England, Messi has overtaken Kylian Mbappé in the Golden Boot standings. The two men are, however, perfectly tied in terms of goals – eight each. But FIFA's regulations are clear: with the same number of goals, the trophy goes to the player with the most assists.

It's official. Messi is in first place. Mbappé, eliminated by Spain (2-0) and relegated to Saturday's third-place match against England, will nevertheless still have a chance to reclaim his position. For the French camp, it's a bitter pill to swallow.

A boss tournament

It has to be said that Messi's run in this North American World Cup has been nothing short of legendary. A hat-trick right from the start against Algeria, allowing him to equal Miroslav Klose's all-time record in the final stages. A goal against Austria to surpass it. A free-kick off the bench against Jordan. A goal against Cape Verde in the round of 32, then a crucial equalizer against Egypt in the round of 16, when Argentina were trailing 2-0 and had just missed a penalty.