Lionel Messi has officially become the outright all-time top scorer in men’s FIFA World Cup history, reaching 17 career tournament goals after scoring against Austria.
The Argentine legend achieved the historic feat during the 2026 World Cup, surpassing Germany’s Miroslav Klose who previously held the record with 16 goals.
Remarkably, Messi has scored these 17 goals across six different World Cup appearances. He netted one goal in 2006 in Germany against Serbia & Montenegro, drew a blank in 2010 in South Africa, and scored four times in 2014 in Brazil. Messi added one goal in 2018 in Russia before exploding with seven goals in 2022 in Qatar.
At the ongoing 2026 tournament in North America, he has already scored four goals, including a hat-trick against Algeria.
This latest milestone further solidifies Messi’s status as one of the greatest players the game has ever seen. As he continues to lead Argentina’s title defence, the football world continues to marvel at the enduring brilliance of the 39-year-old maestro.
