Argentina captain Lionel Messi has made FIFA World Cup history by becoming the all-time leading scorer in the tournament after netting his 17th World Cup goal during Argentina’s Group J clash against Austria at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Messi entered the match level with German legend Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals, a mark he reached with a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina’s opening game. His strike against Austria moved him clear at the top of the men’s World Cup scoring charts.
The historic goal came after Messi missed an early penalty, but the 38-year-old responded by finishing a flowing team move to write another chapter in his remarkable international career. The goal also extended his scoring streak to six consecutive World Cup matches.
Some reports later noted that Messi scored again in Argentina’s win over Austria, taking his tally to 18 World Cup goals and further extending his record.
The milestone adds to an already extraordinary tournament for Messi, who became the first men’s player to appear in six World Cups and recently became the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick.
World Cup All-Time Top Scorers
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 17+ goals
- Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 16 goals
- Ronaldo Nazário (Brazil) – 15 goals
- Gerd Müller (Germany) – 14 goals
- Just Fontaine (France) – 13 goals
Messi’s record-breaking goal came on June 22 — the same date Argentina commemorates the legendary 1986 World Cup exploits of Diego Maradona against England. The historic achievement therefore, carried extra symbolic significance for Argentine fans.