Lionel Messi – historic achievement: World Cup all-time top scorer
The athlete has scored 17 goals
Lionel Messi has set a new FIFA World Cup record for the number of goals scored. The Argentine forward has become the all-time top scorer in the tournament’s history, surpassing the previous record held by German striker Miroslav Klose, who had scored 16 goals.
The record-breaking goal was scored by Lionel Messi in a match against Austria at the FIFA World Cup 2026. He later increased his tally to 17 goals, firmly establishing himself as the most prolific scorer in World Cup history.
For Lionel Messi, this marks his sixth World Cup appearance. He first featured in the tournament in 2006, making his debut against Serbia and Montenegro, where he also scored his first World Cup goal. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the forward netted seven times and helped Argentina win the world title.
In addition to his scoring record, Lionel Messi matched the achievements of Just Fontaine and Jairzinho, becoming one of the few players to score in at least six consecutive World Cup matches.
His scoring streak at World Cups has continued since 2022, when he began another run of goals in the knockout stages.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 – held in the United States, Canada and Mexico – is the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 national teams.
Photo: Instagram @leomessi
