Lionel Messi is now the all-time top scorer in men’s FIFA World Cup history. He scored twice against Austria in Dallas to move to 18 career goals, breaking his tie with Germany’s Miroslav Klose.
Messi missed a penalty in the ninth minute after a stuttered run-up, sending it wide right. But he made up for it in the 38th minute, curling a shot home from a cutback. Then, in injury time, he added a second to seal a 2-0 win and secure Argentina’s spot in the knockout round.
The record had been tied on 16 goals after Messi’s hat trick against Algeria in the opener. Klose had held the men’s record since 2014. Now Messi stands alone at 18. The double also moved him past Brazilian legend Marta, who scored 17 in women’s World Cups.
Messi’s first World Cup goal came in 2006, when he was 18. Twenty years later, he’s still breaking records. He’s also the first player to feature in six World Cups. His international tally now stands at 122 goals, behind only Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 143.
Argentina have now won eight straight World Cup matches since their shock loss to Saudi Arabia in 2022. They lead Group J with six points and have already qualified for the round of 32. Messi has scored all five of Argentina’s goals in this tournament, and 12 of his 18 World Cup goals have come since turning 35.
After the match, Messi said: “Beyond anything I’m so happy for the win. It was huge, tough and difficult. It would allow us to be relaxed to what’s ahead. All matches in this World Cup are very even, very intense. I’m enjoying this moment.”
All-Time Top Scorers in FIFA World Cup History
1. Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 18 Goals
Messi is now the king of World Cup scoring. Heading into the 2026 tournament, he was tied with Miroslav Klose at 16 goals. In Argentina’s opening match against Algeria, he scored a hat trick to level the record. The historic moment came against Austria on June 22, 2026. He missed an early penalty but scored in the 38th minute to break Klose’s record at 17 goals, then added another in stoppage time to reach 18. This is his sixth World Cup, a record for the most tournaments played by any man.
2. Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 16 Goals
Klose was the top scorer for over a decade. His 16 goals came across four World Cups (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014). He scored a hat trick on his debut against Saudi Arabia in 2002 and won the Golden Boot in 2006 with five goals. His crowning moment came in the 2014 semi-final against Brazil. He scored his 16th goal to surpass Ronaldo and become the all-time leading scorer. He retired with the record and a World Cup winner’s medal.
2. Kylian Mbappé (France) – 16 Goals
Mbappé is the future and he’s already here. At 27, he has 16 World Cup goals in just three tournaments (2018, 2022, 2026), making him the fastest to reach 15 goals, doing it in just 16 appearances. He scored four as a teenager in France’s 2018 win, then exploded in 2022 with eight goals and a hat trick in the final. In 2026, he scored a brace against Iraq to tie Klose for second.
3. Ronaldo Nazário (Brazil) – 15 Goals
Ronaldo redefined the striker position. He scored 15 goals across four World Cups (1994, 1998, 2002, 2006) in just 19 appearances. After the heartbreak of the 1998 final, he came back stronger in 2002, scoring eight goals including both in the final against Germany to lead Brazil to their fifth title. His total of 15 made him the record holder at the time, a mark that stood until Klose surpassed him in 2014.
4. Gerd Müller (West Germany) – 14 Goals
Müller was the most lethal striker of his generation. He scored 14 goals in just 13 World Cup matches across only two tournaments (1970 and 1974). In 1970, he exploded for ten goals and won the Golden Boot. In 1974, he scored four more, including the winner in the final against the Netherlands. He held the record for 32 years, from 1974 until 2006.
FAQs
Q. What record did Lionel Messi break?
A. Messi became the all-time top scorer with 18 goals.
Q. How did Messi perform against Austria?
A. Messi missed a penalty but scored twice to win 2-0.
Q. How many World Cups has Messi played in?
A. Messi has played in six World Cups.
Q. How many goals has Messi scored in this tournament?
A. Messi has scored all five of Argentina’s goals in the tournament.
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