Lionel Messi has become the first player to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches, a record-breaking run that began during the 2022 tournament in Qatar and has continued throughout the 2026 competition hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
This historic consistency is directly impacting financial prediction markets. As Messi currently leads the Golden Boot race with six goals, the market-implied probability of him securing the top scorer accolade has surged to 52.6%, a dramatic rise from 44% just one day prior.
With primary rival Kylian Mbappé lagging in the scoring charts, the market interpretation strongly suggests a clear path to the title for the Argentine captain, provided his scoring form holds.