World Cup 2026: Messi Makes History, England Face Ghana

On June 23, 2026, Lionel Messi made history during the World Cup match where he scored his 18th goal for Argentina against Austria, leading the team to a 2-0 victory. With this achievement, Messi became the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history. His remarkable performance has also placed him at the top of the tournament's Golden Boot standings with five goals, while Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland are closely trailing with four goals each.

Mbappé shone in France's match against Iraq, also held on June 23, showcasing his skills even amid challenging weather conditions, as the match faced a two-hour storm break. He amassed two goals, bringing his total to 16 goals across World Cups, placing him joint-second with Miroslav Klose. Meanwhile, Haaland led Norway to victory against Senegal, scoring twice in a thrilling 3-2 match where the teams exchanged intense efforts.

As the tournament progressed into Day 13, the focus shifted to England’s oncoming match against Ghana. England’s coach Thomas Tuchel emphasized the need for improved defensive performance, following a narrow escape against Croatia in their previous game. Tuchel anticipated that Ghana would challenge England with their physicality and attacking speed, especially after analyzing the Black Stars' prior performance, where they failed to take a shot in the first half against Panama.

Earlier in the day, Algeria secured a 2-1 victory over Jordan, marking an early exit for the latter in the tournament. Goals from Ahmed Benbouali and Amine Gouiri helped Algeria match Austria with three points in their group. The day's matches set the stage for highly anticipated gameplay, including England’s return to action against Ghana later in Boston, with a kick-off scheduled at 9 p.m. BST.