Messi Sets 7-Game World Cup Scoring Record as Kane Reaches England Mark of 11

Q: What must happen in the knockout rounds for Messi or Ronaldo to finally settle the 'greatest of all time' debate?

For Ronaldo, the bar is clear: Portugal must win the World Cup, and he must be central to that run. Messi already has the 2022 title and now owns the strongest World Cup statistical case, with 19 tournament goals and 29 appearances. Ronaldo’s missing piece is the one trophy that most clearly separates their World Cup legacies. If he leads Portugal through a difficult knockout path and delivers decisive goals in the biggest matches, especially late in the tournament, he would have the strongest possible closing argument. For Messi, the standard is even higher because many already see the debate as settled in his favor. To remove almost all remaining doubt, Argentina would need to win the World Cup again, with Messi driving the knockout rounds. A second straight title, combined with his current scoring pace and a possible Golden Boot, would give him an almost unmatched World Cup résumé in both team success and individual production. A direct Argentina-Portugal knockout meeting would add obvious symbolic weight, but it is not essential. The more important factor is who produces the defining moments under maximum pressure. If Messi carries Argentina to back-to-back titles, the debate likely closes further in his favor. If Ronaldo wins his first World Cup at 41 while being decisive against elite opposition, that would be the one achievement most capable of reopening and potentially settling it on his side.

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jun 28

Lionel Messi scored in a seventh straight World Cup appearance in Argentina’s 3-1 win over Jordan, extending his tournament record to 19 goals as the group stage ended.
That win left Argentina 3-for-3 in the group and unbeaten in nine World Cup matches, while Messi also became the first player since 1994 to score 6 goals in a single group stage.
Harry Kane hit his 11th World Cup goal in England’s 2-0 win over Panama to pass Gary Lineker, and Jude Bellingham became England’s youngest player to score and assist in a World Cup match.
Cristiano Ronaldo made his 25th World Cup appearance in Portugal’s 0-0 draw with Colombia, tying Lothar Matthäus for second-most all-time behind Messi’s 29.
Elsewhere, Congo DR reached the knockout stage for the first time with a 3-1 comeback over Uzbekistan, and Luka Modric became the oldest player to provide a World Cup assist at 40 years, 291 days.