A fan carries a giant banner depicting Lionel Messi as Argentina fans gather to celebrate and show support for their team at a beachfront park in Miami Beach, Fla., Thursday, July 2, 2026, one day ahead of Argentina's World Cup round of 32 soccer match against Cape Verde. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Argentina's Lionel Messi spalshes water on his head to cool down during a training session on the eve of the team's World Cup round of 32 soccer match against Cape Verde, Thursday, July 2, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
A fan carries a giant banner depicting Lionel Messi as Argentina fans gather to celebrate and show support for their team at a beachfront park in Miami Beach, Fla., Thursday, July 2, 2026, one day ahead of Argentina's World Cup round of 32 soccer match against Cape Verde. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Argentina's Lionel Messi, left, talks with Rodrigo De Paul during a training session on the eve of the team's World Cup round of 32 soccer match against Cape Verde, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Argentina's Lionel Messi eyes a ball during a training session on the eve of the team's World Cup round of 32 soccer match against Cape Verde, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Argentina's Lionel Messi looks toward teammates during a training session on the eve of the team's World Cup round of 32 soccer match against Cape Verde, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi resumes his chase of the Golden Boot on Friday.
Argentina's captain — widely considered the greatest player ever — returns to the World Cup pitch when the defending champions take on Cape Verde in the round of 32. Messi has six goals in this World Cup, tied with France's Kylian Mbappé for the tournament lead.
The Golden Boot is presented to the top goal-scorer.
Messi and Mbappé are far from being the only contenders: Norway's Erling Haaland and England's Harry Kane each have five goals entering Friday, while four more players — France's Ousmane Dembele, Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal, Brazil's Vinicius Junior and Senegal's Ismaila Sarr have four. Sarr is out of the running since Senegal has been eliminated.
Norway, England and France have all clinched spots in the round of 16; Argentina and Messi need a win over Cape Verde to join them in that round.
Messi has been on an absolute goal-scoring tear, with at least one goal in his last seven World Cup matches going back to 2022 — something no men's player has ever accomplished in the tournament's history. He has 11 goals in those seven games, pushing his career total to 19. That's also the most in World Cup history, one ahead of Mbappé.
The Golden Boot is something Messi has never won. He finished second in that race with seven goals at the 2022 World Cup, one behind Mbappé, and tied for third with four goals at the 2014 World Cup.
If there's a tie atop the goal list when the tournament ends, FIFA will use assists as the first tiebreaker and fewest minutes played as the second tiebreaker. Entering Friday, that meant Mbappé would have the edge over Messi based on his 2-0 lead in assists.
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The Associated Press
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