Lionel Messi has become the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer after netting twice in Argentina’s 2-0 victory against Austria. The 38-year-old took his tournament tally to 18 goals, surpassing Germany’s Miroslav Klose, who held the previous record of 16.
The Inter Miami forward endured a difficult start to the match, missing an eighth-minute penalty, but responded with a low strike around the half-hour mark to claim the outright record. He added his 18th goal in second-half injury time, squeezing the ball past two defenders from a tight angle.
The brace continues a remarkable late-career surge at football’s biggest stage. Since turning 35, Messi has netted 12 times at World Cup finals, with 14 of his 18 career tournament goals struck with his left foot.
Unrivalled Tournament Impact
Messi has now scored in six consecutive World Cup appearances, equalling a feat achieved only by France’s Just Fontaine in 1958 and Brazil’s Jairzinho in 1970. No player has ever found the net in seven successive matches at the finals.
The Argentina captain has scored all five of his country’s goals at the 2026 tournament, having opened his account with a hat-trick against Algeria. The defending champions have already guaranteed their place in the last-32 stage.
Messi’s creative influence has been equally decisive. He has created 76 chances in World Cup history, more than any other player, and currently shares the assist record with Diego Maradona. One more assist would give him the outright record since tracking began in 1966.
Defying Age and Adversity
The record-breaking performance comes just two days before Messi’s 39th birthday and amid personal difficulties. His family revealed after the opening match that his father is dealing with a health-related situation. Messi was visibly emotional after scoring against Algeria, yet has maintained exceptional form despite the off-field challenges.
Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, who faced Messi in two Champions League finals, admitted he had doubted Argentina’s chances. “Coming into this World Cup, I pretty much wrote Argentina’s chances off because I didn’t think he could carry on [at that level] for another one,” Rooney said. “The one thing age can never take away from players is their ability with the ball.”
France striker Olivier Giroud, who continues playing top-flight football at 39, believes self-motivation is crucial. “It’s clear just how passionate Messi still is for football and you can tell it’s in his DNA to always be a competitor,” Giroud explained. “The key thing is still having the desire, the motivation, the passion, to keep going.”
This is Messi’s sixth World Cup appearance, coming a decade after he briefly retired from international football following the 2016 Copa America final defeat. His decision to reverse that retirement has yielded 13 tournament goals and the 2022 World Cup title.