Lionel Messi has done it again. The 38-year-old Argentine forward, already considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, has become the outright leading goalscorer in World Cup history. In a match against Austria on 22 June 2026, Messi scored twice to take his tournament tally to 18 goals, surpassing the previous record of 16 held by Germany's Miroslav Klose.
The record-breaking moment came in Argentina's Group J match at Dallas Stadium. Messi had the chance to claim the record early when Argentina were awarded a penalty in the first half, but his low effort went wide of the post. He made amends in the 38th minute, sweeping home a left-footed finish after a dummy by Rodrigo De Paul. Then, in second-half stoppage time, he scored his 18th World Cup goal from a rebound after an initial shot by Julián Álvarez was blocked. The goals secured a 2-0 win and sent Argentina into the round of 32.
“Lionel Messi becomes all-time World Cup top scorer, surpassing Miroslav Klose's record.”
Messi's journey to this record has spanned five World Cups. He made his tournament debut in 2006, scoring his first goal aged 18. Over the years, he has become Argentina's all-time leading scorer and led his country to World Cup glory in 2022. The previous record of 16 goals was set by Miroslav Klose, who played for Germany from 2002 to 2014. Messi equalled that mark just days before the Austria match with a hat-trick in his first game of the 2026 tournament.
For UK readers, Messi's achievement is a reminder of the global scale of football and the enduring brilliance of one of its most famous stars. Many UK fans will have followed Messi's career since his early days at Barcelona, through his time at Paris Saint-Germain and now at Inter Miami. His record is now officially the highest in the men's World Cup, a benchmark that may stand for decades.
Q: How many World Cup goals has Lionel Messi scored in total? Messi has scored 18 goals in World Cup tournaments, making him the all-time leading scorer. He surpassed Miroslav Klose's previous record of 16 with his 17th and 18th goals against Austria.
Q: When did Messi break the record? Messi equalled the record with a hat-trick in Argentina's first group match of the 2026 World Cup, and then broke it on 22 June 2026 by scoring twice against Austria in Dallas, Texas.
Q: Who held the record before Messi? The previous record was held by German striker Miroslav Klose, who scored 16 World Cup goals across four tournaments (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014). Klose's record had stood since 2014.
Argentina have already qualified for the round of 32 and will play Jordan in their final group match. Messi's focus will now turn to helping Argentina defend their 2022 World Cup title. The team will aim to progress deep into the tournament, with Messi looking to add to his record tally.