Lionel Messi Becomes Top Scorer in World Cup History With Goal Against Austria
- Lionel Messi became the outright leading men’s World Cup goalscorer with 17 goals, moving ahead of Miroslav Klose
- The Argentina captain and eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has now scored in six straight World Cup matches since 2022
- Messi’s record-breaking strike took him to 120 international goals for Argentina, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo
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Lionel Messi has made more FIFA World Cup history after becoming the highest-scoring player in men’s World Cup history during Argentina’s Group J clash against Austria.
The Argentina captain moved to 17 World Cup goals, breaking his tie with Germany legend Miroslav Klose to claim the outright record.
Source: Getty Images
Messi’s latest milestone came after a dramatic moment in Dallas, where he initially missed a penalty that could have handed him the record earlier in the match.
However, the 39-year-old quickly responded by finding the back of the net in the 39th minute, firing Argentina into a 1-0 lead against Austria.
The goal also extended Messi’s incredible scoring run at the World Cup, with the forward now having scored in six consecutive tournament matches since 2022.
Messi continues record-breaking World Cup journey
Messi had already matched Klose’s record during Argentina’s opening match of the 2026 World Cup against Algeria.
The Inter Miami star scored a stunning hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory on June 16, taking his World Cup tally to 16 goals and moving level with the former Germany striker.
The hat-trick was the 11th of Messi’s international career but his first-ever treble at a World Cup.
Speaking about the record after the Algeria match, Messi played down the achievement while showing respect for the players alongside him in history.
“It’s an honor being up there for what it means, being alongside Klose and [Brazil’s] Ronaldo, who is there also. But it doesn’t mean anything,” Messi said.
“[Kylian] Mbappé is there, too, he scored twice. At the end of the day, they are stats and nothing more.”
Despite his humble response, Messi’s latest goal further strengthened his status as one of the greatest players to ever appear on football’s biggest stage.
Source: Getty Images
Twenty years of World Cup history for Messi
Messi’s journey at the World Cup began on June 16, 2006, when he scored his first tournament goal at just 18 years old.
The Argentina forward found the net in a group-stage match against Serbia and Montenegro, beginning a record-breaking international career.
Two decades later, Messi continues to set new benchmarks.
The goal against Austria not only made him the leading men’s World Cup goalscorer but also highlighted his unique longevity, with the Argentine becoming the first player to feature in six different editions of the men’s World Cup.
The strike also took Messi’s international goal tally for Argentina to 120.
Only Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has scored more goals in men’s international football, with 143 goals for his country.
Source: YEN.com.gh
