Lionel Messi is now the World Cup’s all-time leading goal scorer. (Photo by Tom Weller/picture alliance via Getty Images)
(picture alliance via Getty Images)
Lionel Messi stands alone among World Cup goal scorers.
Messi scored the 17th goal of his World Cup career in sublime fashion on Monday against Austria. Messi’s first-half goal came as he took a shot with his famous left foot first time and roped it past goalkeeper Alexander Schlager.
The 38th-minute goal came after Messi had an opportunity to break the record in the opening minutes of the game. Argentina was awarded a penalty for a foul on Lautaro Martínez in the penalty area, but Messi slid his penalty kick wide to the right.
It was Messi’s first missed penalty kick in the World Cup since he failed to convert one against Poland in the final round of the 2022 group stage.
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Messi tied Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 goals with a hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria to open the World Cup. That game was Messi’s 200th appearance for Argentina as he became the first man to play in six different World Cups.
Klose scored his 16 goals across four World Cups from 2002 through 2014. Klose scored five goals in each of his first two World Cup appearances before scoring four at the 2010 World Cup and adding two in 2014 as Germany won the tournament.
World Cup schedule | Group schedule, results | Standings
His final World Cup goal came in Germany’s 7-1 semifinal rout of Brazil to break a tie with Brazilian legend Ronaldo. The former Brazil striker had scored 15 goals in his four World Cup appearances.
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Messi’s first World Cup goal came in 2006 when he was 18 years old. Messi appeared in three games for Argentina that season and that goal came in the 88th minute of a 6-0 rout of Serbia and Montenegro.
Four years later, he went scoreless at the World Cup as Argentina again went out in the quarterfinals. In 2014, as Argentina lost that World Cup final to Germany, Messi scored four goals across seven matches.
In 2018, Messi had just one goal in four matches as Argentina was eliminated in the Round of 16.
Things really got going in 2022, as Messi and Argentina finally won the tournament. With the help of three penalty kicks, Messi scored seven goals in seven games, including two in the final against France.
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While Messi could conceivably add to his record-breaking total as the 2026 tournament continues, he might not hold the record for very long. France’s Kylian Mbappé is just 27 and already has 14 goals after scoring a brace in France’s World Cup opener. Mbappé could even chase down Messi at this World Cup. And if he doesn’t, he stands to have a great chance to pass Messi in 2030.
