DALLAS, United States — Lionel Messi became the leading scorer in men’s World Cup history on Monday, June 22, 2026, scoring against Austria to move ahead of Miroslav Klose’s long-standing mark of 16 goals.
The goal came in the first half of Argentina’s second match of the tournament, days after Messi had equalled Klose’s record with a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria.
Messi had a chance to break the record earlier in the match against Austria but missed an eighth-minute penalty.
About 30 minutes later, he struck from the edge of the box to beat the Austrian goalkeeper and lift his career World Cup tally to 17.
The milestone came during what has already been an emotional tournament for Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday.
After scoring his first goal against Algeria last week, he was seen crying on the pitch.
“I went through some difficult days,” Messi told reporters after that match, without giving further details.
Soon after, his family said in a statement that Jorge Messi, the player’s father, was “going through a health situation.”
The family also asked the public to avoid “rumors, and speculation” after misinformation about his condition had spread.
Despite the personal strain, Messi returned to lead Argentina against Austria as the defending champions continued their group-stage campaign.
Austria Prepared for Messi Threat
Austria captain David Alaba said before the match that his team understood the scale of the challenge posed by Messi and Argentina.
“It’s incredible that Messi started such a tournament with a hat-trick. Absolutely insane,” Alaba said, according to Reuters.
“We know what kind of opponent we’re up against, what kind of quality they have in their ranks, even besides Messi, but also what they’re capable of as a team.”
Messi’s goal against Austria added another chapter to a World Cup career that has stretched across six tournaments and has included Argentina’s 2022 title.
His latest record also intensified attention on the tournament’s scoring race, with Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland among the other leading names expected to feature as the group stage continues.
