Messi 1 assist short of Maradona's record
Had Messi's corner been credited as an assist, he would have equalled and surpassed Maradona's World Cup record of 8 assists, reaching 9.
Snapshot · The Rest Is Football
Argentina survive huge scare against Cape Verde as Messi makes it 8 in a row
Explore episode
Jul 4, 2026
Where this was said
Messi's 20th World Cup Goal — and the Goalkeeping Sensation Vosinha
At 14:18 · chapter starts 10:40
The panel turn their attention to the goals that shaped the match. Messi's strike — instantly recognised by the panel as his 20th World Cup goal — was a controlled half-volley that Joe Cole dissects with precision [1] — Joe Cole "Messi's half-volley against Cape Verde was his 20th World Cup goal. Joe Cole explains that what looks effortless required Messi to instantl…" 11:21 : Messi had to instantly calculate the ball's trajectory over the fullback's head, judge the exact distance to let it bounce, understand the goalkeeper's position, and take precisely the right amount of pace off it before roofing it into the top corner. 'For the naked eye, it looks good, but it's so impressive,' Cole says. Reporter Alex reports a spectacular reaction in Queens, with fireworks, flares, and at least one man reduced to tears by the sheer spectacle of Messi at his final World Cup [2] — Gary Lineker "Messi scores 20th World Cup goal: Lionel Messi's goal against Cape Verde was his 20th in World Cup history, scored with a sublime controlle…" 12:38 . The group also have a spirited, good-natured debate about whether the goal was a half-volley or a controlled touch followed by a shot — with Eccleston amusingly siding against Lineker's framing.
Messi's 20th World Cup goal — a calculated masterpiece
Messi's half-volley against Cape Verde was his 20th World Cup goal. Joe Cole explains that what looks effortless required Messi to instantly calculate the bounce, the goalkeeper's position, and exactly how much to take off the ball — all in a fraction of a second.
Messi scores 20th World Cup goal
Lionel Messi's goal against Cape Verde was his 20th in World Cup history, scored with a sublime controlled half-volley.
Own goal controversy — did it rob Romero of his moment?
Messi's corner led to a header that deflected off Borges' hand and into the net — credited as an own goal rather than a Romero goal. Gary Lineker argues it was unnecessary and robbed Romero of his moment. It also denied Messi an assist that would have surpassed Maradona's World Cup record of 8.
Similar snapshots
CrossFit athlete: top 2,000 worldwide
Thomas's wife is already ranked in the top 2,000 CrossFit athletes in the world — roughly the top 1% — and Thomas wants her to pursue the sport professionally now that he is graduating law school.
Athletes improve with mental rehearsal
Research shows athletes who mentally imagine practicing basketball or soccer have better performance than those who do not include imagination in their training.
~10 rounds dominated vs Usyk
Rico Verhoeven dominated approximately 10 of 12 rounds against undisputed heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk before a controversial post-bell stoppage.
Stopped after the bell
Rico's appeal confirmed the fight was stopped after the bell rang, and the ringside doctor found no concussion or disorientation — yet the result was never overturned.
Glory uses 5 judges vs boxing's 3
Glory Kickboxing uses 5 judges rather than boxing's 3, which Joe Rogan argues reduces the chance of a corrupt or incompetent minority swinging the result.
1 professional boxing match before Usyk
Rico Verhoeven had only one professional boxing match before fighting undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk for the WBC title.
15 years of boxing training
Despite having just one pro boxing match, Rico Verhoeven had been training boxing for 15 years alongside his kickboxing career.
6-month boxing transition camp
Rico used a full 6 months to transition from kickboxing stance to a proper boxing stance under trainer Peter Fury, calling it essential rewiring.
75+ kickboxing fights in career
Rico Verhoeven has had approximately 75 professional kickboxing fights, giving him a massive combat sports experience advantage over pure boxers.
