Lionel Messi became the all-time leading goal scorer in FIFA World Cup history during a match against Austria on June 22, 2026 [1].
The achievement marks a historic milestone for the Argentine forward, who has long been viewed as one of the greatest players to ever play the sport. By surpassing the previous record, Messi cements his legacy within the tournament's statistical history while leading Argentina toward further progression in the competition [5].
Playing in North America, Messi scored two goals against Austria [6]. These goals pushed his total tournament tally to either 17 [2] or 18 [5] goals, depending on the source. This total surpasses the previous record of 16 goals held by Germany's Miroslav Klose [2].
Messi, who is 38 years old, is set to turn 39 this coming Wednesday [5]. His performance against Austria not only broke the scoring record but also helped secure Argentina's classification in the tournament [5].
Following the record-breaking performance, Messi expressed his emotions regarding the milestone. "Muita felicidade," Messi said [1].
The match was part of the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While the exact final goal count varies between 17 [4] and 18 [5], the result remains the same: Messi is now the most prolific scorer in the history of the world's most prestigious football tournament [6].
“Lionel Messi became the all-time leading goal scorer in FIFA World Cup history”
This record breaks a long-standing benchmark set by Miroslav Klose, shifting the historical narrative of World Cup dominance toward Argentina. For Messi, achieving this at age 38 demonstrates unprecedented longevity at the highest level of international football, potentially silencing remaining debates over his statistical standing compared to previous eras of the game.
