Lionel Messi etched his name even deeper into football history on Monday, scoring twice to become the outright leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history as defending champions Argentina secured a 2-0 victory over Austria and booked their place in the knockout stage of the 2026 tournament.
The Argentine captain netted his 17th and 18th World Cup goals at a packed AT&T Stadium in Texas, surpassing the previous record of 16 goals jointly held with former German striker Miroslav Klose. The victory also ensured Argentina’s progression from Group J with a game to spare.
The record-breaking night did not begin smoothly for the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. Messi had an opportunity to make history in the ninth minute but failed to convert from the penalty spot, sending his effort wide of the target.
However, the 38-year-old eventually found his breakthrough just before halftime. After Thiago Almada cleverly allowed Facundo Medina’s pass to run through, Messi collected the ball and calmly beat Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager, who had been caught leaning the wrong way.
With Austria pushing for an equaliser late in the contest, Messi delivered the decisive blow in stoppage time. After Schlager parried his initial effort, the Argentine superstar reacted quickest to fire home through a crowded penalty area and register his 18th World Cup goal.
The historic achievement came just two days before Messi’s 39th birthday and amid concerns over his father, Jorge Messi, who is reportedly recovering from health issues back in Argentina.
Thousands of Argentine supporters inside the sold-out stadium erupted in celebration as Messi and his teammates marked another milestone in a career already regarded as one of the greatest in football history. The crowd was overwhelmingly dominated by fans wearing Argentina’s iconic blue-and-white colours and Messi’s famous No. 10 jersey.
The scoring record arrived exactly 40 years after Diego Maradona produced his legendary “Goal of the Century” against England during the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals in Mexico City. Like Maradona, Messi now occupies a unique place in Argentine football folklore.
Beyond breaking the all-time World Cup scoring record, Messi also joined an elite group of players. He became only the third footballer, alongside France’s Just Fontaine and Brazil’s Jairzinho, to score in six consecutive World Cup matches.
Argentina’s victory extended their unbeaten run in the World Cup to eight matches since their shock opening defeat to Saudi Arabia at the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Remarkably, Messi has now scored all five of Argentina’s goals at the ongoing tournament.
The forward’s recent World Cup form has been extraordinary. Since turning 35, Messi has scored 12 goals at football’s biggest tournament, including his first-ever World Cup hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening Group J match in Kansas City.
Austria entered the contest with confidence after defeating Jordan 3-1 in their opening fixture but struggled to contain Argentina’s attacking quality. Despite the defeat, the Austrians remain in contention for a place in the knockout stage and can still qualify with victory over Algeria in their final group match on Saturday.
Argentina, meanwhile, will conclude their group-stage campaign against Jordan at the same venue on Saturday night, with momentum firmly on their side as they continue their quest to defend the World Cup crown won in Qatar four years ago.
