Argentina captain Lionel Messi has become the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history after scoring twice in his country’s 2-0 victory over Austria at the 2026 World Cup.
The historic feat saw Messi surpass former Germany striker Miroslav Klose and move to the top of the tournament’s all-time scoring chart.
The Argentine star endured an early setback when he missed a penalty, but he quickly recovered by opening the scoring in the first half. Messi then sealed the victory with another goal in stoppage time, ensuring Argentina secured qualification for the knockout stage with a game to spare.
Messi’s latest achievement comes just days before his 39th birthday and continues an extraordinary run of form at the tournament.
The forward has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches and has been instrumental in Argentina’s strong title defence after also netting a hat-trick in the opening game against Algeria.
With the record now in his possession, Messi sits above football legends including Klose, Ronaldo Nazário, Gerd Müller and Just Fontaine in the World Cup scoring rankings.
The milestone further strengthens his legacy as one of the greatest players in football history.