Lionel Messi extends his lead in the World Cup 2026 Golden Boot race after scoring against Cape Verde, according to NDTV. The match goal takes Messi to seven goals in the tournament. The outlet also reports that the strike makes Messi the first player in men’s football history to reach 20 FIFA World Cup goals overall. The coverage frames the scoring as a record-breaking moment for Messi’s World Cup tally and highlights his position at the top of the tournament scoring chart. With the new total, Messi moves further ahead of other contenders in the Golden Boot race, while also adding to his career milestones at the World Cup. No additional details about the match scoreline, other scorers, or the standings of other players are provided in the provided source text. The report therefore centers on Messi’s goal count for the ongoing tournament and the historical benchmark of 20 World Cup goals across editions.