Messi Breaks All-Time World Cup Scoring Record
Photo: REUTERS
Lionel Messi etched his name deeper on Tuesday, shattering the all-time FIFA World Cup 2026 scoring record as Argentina defeated Austria 2-0 at Dallas Stadium.
The captain delivered a masterclass performance, scoring twice to propel the defending champions into the Round of 32 from Group J.
Messi now stands alone as the greatest goalscorer in the tournament’s history with 18 goals, surpassing Miroslav Klose’s previous record of 16 strikes.
This historic milestone follows a brilliant hat-trick in Argentina’s opening match against Algeria, placing Messi firmly at the top of the current Golden Boot standings.
A spirited Austrian side, coached by Ralf Rangnick, frustrated the South Americans early on. David Alaba provided decisive defensive blocks, and Messi himself uncharacteristically missed an early penalty.
However, the deadlock finally broke in the 38th minute. Facundo Medina whipped a sharp ball into the penalty area, where a clever dummy from Thiago Almada cleared a path for Messi. The maestro reacted instantly, stroking a clinical finish into the bottom corner to ignite the Texas crowd.
The match carried extra emotional weight as it fell on the 40th anniversary of Diego Maradona’s legendary goal against England.
While Nico Gonzalez nearly added a second for Argentina and Marcel Sabitzer - making his 100th international appearance - tested the defense with a dangerous free-kick, the European side ultimately struggled to dismantle the world champions.
Messi put the result beyond doubt deep into injury time (90+5), finding the net again to seal the 2-0 victory.
By making the difference once again - a feat he has achieved in seven of the last nine World Cup appearances for Argentina - Messi proved that everything truly is bigger in Texas.
