Lionel Messi broke Miroslav Klose’s record on Monday when he scored for Argentina against Austria in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group J match in Dallas.
The left-footed finish from close to the six-yard box took Messi’s tally to 17 goals, one more than the German legend who finished his World Cup match with 16 goals.
Messi could have broken the record earlier but missed from the spot in the ninth minute after Lautaro Martinez made a mistake in the Austrian penalty area.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi’s most legendary contemporary, remains far behind with eight World Cup goals.
Messi, playing in his sixth World Cup, had also scored a hat-trick against Algeria in the side’s tournament opener. This brings his total to four goals in this edition, putting him at the top of the Golden Boot standings.
Published on June 22, 2026
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