Two goals against Austria lifted him beyond Miroslav Klose.
ARLINGTON, United States | June 2026
Lionel Messi has become the leading scorer in the history of the men’s FIFA World Cup after scoring twice in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria. The captain increased his tournament career total to 18 goals, moving two clear of former German striker Miroslav Klose. Messi had entered the match level with Klose after scoring a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina’s opening game. At almost 39 years old, he has now established one of the most significant individual records in international football.
The record-breaking goal arrived in the 38th minute of the Group J encounter near Dallas. Facundo Medina supplied the pass, and Messi finished from the edge of the penalty area to move ahead of Klose’s long-standing mark. The goal rewarded Argentina after a difficult opening period in which its captain had already missed a penalty. It also placed Messi alone at the top of a ranking filled with some of the sport’s most celebrated forwards.
His second goal came during stoppage time. Julián Álvarez produced a shot that Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager could not control, leaving Messi alert to the rebound. The Argentine reacted quickly and completed the double from close range. That finish increased his advantage over Klose and secured Argentina’s second consecutive victory of the tournament.
The evening had begun with frustration when Messi failed to convert a ninth-minute penalty awarded after a foul on Lautaro Martínez. It was the third penalty he has missed during World Cup competition, following unsuccessful attempts against Iceland in 2018 and Poland in 2022. The error could have affected the rhythm of the match and increased pressure on the defending champions. Instead, Messi recovered and scored twice from open play.
His ability to respond strengthened the symbolic value of the achievement. Major records are often remembered through perfect moments, but this one emerged from a performance that also contained an early failure. Messi did not allow the missed penalty to alter his movement, decision-making or willingness to receive the ball near the Austrian defense. The record was built through persistence within the match as well as across six separate tournaments.
Messi arrived at the 2026 World Cup with 13 goals in the competition. His three goals against Algeria lifted him to 16 and allowed him to equal Klose. The brace against Austria then carried him directly to 18 in only two matches. Five goals at the beginning of the tournament have transformed what once appeared to be a difficult record into one Messi now controls outright.
Klose had held the men’s record since the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The German striker surpassed Ronaldo Nazário during Germany’s title-winning campaign and finished his World Cup career with 16 goals. Ronaldo remains third with 15, while Gerd Müller and Kylian Mbappé have 14 each. Messi’s achievement therefore places him ahead of scorers from several different generations.
The record also illustrates the unusual length of Messi’s international career. He is participating in his sixth World Cup, more than two decades after beginning his career at the highest level. No other outfield player had previously appeared in six editions of the competition. His continued presence has allowed him to combine longevity with production at an age when most elite forwards have already retired from international football.
Messi is also the player with the most appearances in men’s World Cup history, with 28 matches. His participation has extended from the 2006 tournament in Germany to the current competition in North America. During that period, he has experienced early eliminations, a lost final, public criticism and eventual victory in Qatar. The scoring record now adds another dimension to a World Cup career defined by gradual transformation.
His goals against Austria also increased his total for Argentina to 121 in 201 international appearances. Those figures reinforce his position as the country’s leading scorer and most enduring captain. His international career was once criticized for failing to reproduce the achievements of his club years. Winning the Copa América and the 2022 World Cup changed that narrative before the current record extended it further.
The achievement arrives while Argentina attempts to defend its world title. Lionel Scaloni’s team is seeking a fourth championship and the first successful World Cup defense since Brazil retained the trophy in 1962. Messi’s early scoring form gives Argentina an important advantage, but the team’s ambitions still depend on defensive stability, physical management and support from the younger members of the squad. Records may inspire a campaign, but they do not guarantee its final outcome.
Mbappé remains the most credible active challenger to Messi’s new total. The French forward currently has 14 World Cup goals and still possesses the age and tournament opportunities required to pursue the record. Harry Kane has ten and also remains active at international level. Messi’s lead is historic, but the accelerated scoring of modern stars means the ranking may continue evolving.
The distinction applies specifically to the men’s competition. Brazilian legend Marta holds the women’s World Cup scoring record with 17 goals across five editions. Messi’s total of 18 now exceeds that figure numerically, although the men’s and women’s tournaments maintain separate official statistical histories. Both records represent extraordinary longevity and sustained performance across multiple generations of opponents.
For Argentina, the immediate importance of the victory lies in the Group J standings. The win against Austria followed the opening triumph over Algeria and placed the defending champions in a strong position to reach the knockout stage. Messi’s goals reduced the possibility of entering the final group match under qualification pressure. The team can now manage his workload while maintaining competitive momentum.
The broader significance belongs to football history. Messi has already won the World Cup, accumulated the most appearances and now scored more goals than any man in the tournament’s history. Each new achievement narrows the number of major records still beyond his reach. His sixth World Cup is no longer only an extended farewell, but another productive chapter in a career that continues to redefine its limits.
History changes when longevity continues producing decisive moments. / La historia cambia cuando la longevidad continúa produciendo momentos decisivos.