Dallas: Lionel Messi has added another remarkable achievement to his career by becoming the highest scorer in men’s World Cup history. The Argentina captain scored his 17th World Cup goal during his country’s Group J match against Austria, surpassing Germany’s Miroslav Klose and setting a new tournament record.
The historic goal arrived in the 38th minute after Messi completed a flowing Argentina move. The forward started the attack before arriving inside the penalty area to meet a low cross from Facundo Medina and finish confidently into the bottom corner. The strike gave Argentina a 1-0 lead and sparked celebrations among thousands of supporters inside the stadium.
Earlier in the match, Messi had missed an opportunity to break the record when he sent a penalty wide. The spot-kick was awarded after Lautaro Martinez was brought down inside the area, but the Argentina captain’s effort narrowly missed the target. Despite the setback, Messi responded by delivering the decisive moment later in the first half.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐎𝐀𝐓. And he’s ours 🐐🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/9oQSqTTclh
— Selección Argentina in English (@AFASeleccionEN) June 22, 2026
The goal moved Lionel Messi beyond Klose’s previous record of 16 World Cup goals and levelled the overall World Cup scoring mark held by Brazilian football icon Marta, who scored 17 goals in the women’s tournament. It also marked the sixth consecutive World Cup match in which Messi has found the net.
The record-breaking moment came just days before Messi’s 39th birthday and during his sixth World Cup appearance. Monday’s match was also his 28th World Cup appearance, extending another FIFA record and highlighting his extraordinary longevity at the highest level of international football.
Argentina entered the match after opening the tournament with a 3-0 victory over Algeria, a game in which Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick to equal Klose’s record. With another historic goal now added to his collection, the Argentina captain continues to strengthen his place among football’s greatest players while helping the defending champions move closer to the knockout stage.
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