Messi breaks World Cup scoring record as Argentina secure knockout berth
The 38-year-old surpassed Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 goals as the defending champions secured their place in the last 16 with a 2-0 victory in Arlington, Texas.
Lionel Messi has become the all-time leading goal-scorer in FIFA World Cup history, overtaking Germany’s Miroslav Klose with his 17th career tournament goal. The milestone was secured during Argentina’s group stage match against Austria in the 2026 World Cup, where the 38-year-old captain scored twice to lead his side to a 2-0 victory in Arlington, Texas, on 22 June 2026.
Messi’s first goal arrived in the 38th minute, a precise left-footed finish following a build-up involving Facundo Medina and Thiago Almada. This strike added to the hat-trick he scored in Argentina’s opening match against Algeria, bringing his total to 17 and surpassing the record of 16 goals held by Klose since 2014. The 38-year-old sealed the match deep in injury time, outfoxing four defenders in a scramble within the box to provide the final punctuation to the result.
The victory mathematically secured Argentina’s place in the last 16 of the tournament, marking their second consecutive win. The match was played at the home of the Dallas Cowboys, with an attendance of 70,649. Despite the dominant performance, Argentina missed a penalty in the ninth minute when Messi’s attempt was dragged wide after a VAR intervention for a foul on Lautaro Martinez.
Austria, managed by Ralf Rangnick and captained by David Alaba, were content to defend throughout the first half and failed to register a shot on target. They had previously beaten Jordan 3-1 in their opening match. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was only seriously troubled once in the second half, as the match drifted with neither side creating significant chances after the break.
Messi, who turns 39 on 24 June, had not committed to playing the tournament until the last moment. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain player had previously missed penalties at the 2018 World Cup and saw a spot-kick saved by Wojciech Szczesny during Argentina’s 2022 victory over Poland. His performance in Arlington reinforces his status as a central figure in the defending champions’ bid to retain their title.
