ARLINGTON, Texas – On Monday, Lionel Messi etched his name in history as the highest goal scorer in World Cup history, reaching 18 goals with a stunning brace in Argentina‘s Group J clash against Austria. This achievement surpasses the previous record held by German great Miroslav Klose.
Starting Monday’s match with 16 goals following a hat trick in Argentina’s opener, Messi had a brief setback when he missed a penalty kick early in the game. However, he rebounded spectacularly, scoring his first goal with a precise finish in the 38th minute and adding a second late in the 2-0 victory in Dallas, securing Argentina’s progression to the knockout stage.
The Argentine captain has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches since 2022, and his 18th goal also puts him ahead of women’s World Cup all-time top scorer Marta, who has 17 goals.
Later that day, Kylian Mbappé matched Klose’s tally with two goals, helping France secure a 3-0 win over Iraq.
“I felt a mix of emotions after missing the penalty, but I was able to redeem myself,” Messi reflected.
Messi had equaled Klose’s mark with a hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria in the tournament’s opening match on June 16. This hat trick marked the 11th of Messi’s international career, and notably his first in a World Cup.
Messi’s journey in the World Cup began back on June 16, 2006, when he scored his first goal at just 18 years old, netting against Serbia and Montenegro.
Now, two decades later, he continues to shatter records, leading in total goals and being the first player to compete in six editions of the men’s World Cup.
With his latest goals, Messi has amassed 122 international goals for Argentina, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, who has 143.
Argentina’s win on Monday also positioned Messi as the player with the most victories in men’s World Cup history.
“Above all, I’m thrilled with the win,” Messi stated. “It was a tough and intense match, and this victory allows us to approach what’s next with some relaxation. Every match in this World Cup is highly competitive, and I’m savoring this moment alongside my teammates.”
He had a prime opportunity to break the record early in the match but missed a penalty kick in the ninth minute due to a miscalculated run-up. Nearly 30 minutes later, Messi capitalized on a setup from Thiago Almada, scoring after Facundo Medina‘s pass was directed to him.
As the match approached its end, he extended his record with a shot through a crowded defense after Alexander Schlager deflected his initial attempt.
Turning 39 on Wednesday and contending with personal challenges, including an ailing father, Messi has remarkably scored all five of Argentina’s goals in this tournament, netting 12 World Cup goals since he turned 35.
Argentina has continued its winning streak, now at eight matches since an unexpected defeat to Saudi Arabia during its 2022 World Cup opener in Qatar.
Having officially qualified for the round of 32, Argentina leads Group J with six points and will conclude the group stage with a match against Jordan in Texas.
Information from Associated Press was included in this report.