Lionel Messi has once again inscribed his name in the great history of world football by becoming the all-time top scorer in World Cup history.
With his two goals against Austria in the second match of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, the captain of the Argentine National Team reached 18 and surpassed the record previously held by the German Miroslav Klose.
This achievement comes just days after his outstanding performance against Algeria, where he scored a hat-trick, solidifying his prominence in the tournament.
Lionel Messi
With this new achievement, Messi not only leads his team in Group J but also positions himself at the top of a historical table that brings together the greatest figures in international football.
With 18 goals scored in 28 World Cup matches, the Rosario star surpassed Klose, who had registered 16 goals in 24 matches. The German forward's record had stood for years but was finally surpassed by the Argentine captain in yet another demonstration of his relevance and scoring ability.
Lionel Messi
The ranking
Behind Messi and Klose is the Brazilian Ronaldo Nazário, who has 15 goals in 19 matches, occupying third place. Further back is the Frenchman Kylian Mbappé, with 14 goals in 15 matches.
The list of all-time top scorers also includes other legends of world football. The German Gerd Müller has 14 goals in just 13 matches, while the Frenchman Just Fontaine reached 13 goals in only six matches, all during the 1958 World Cup.
Completing the ranking are iconic names such as Pelé (12), Jürgen Klinsmann (11), Sándor Kocsis (11), Gabriel Batistuta (10), Teófilo Cubillas (10), Grzegorz Lato (10), Gary Lineker (10), and Thomas Müller (10), all of whom were protagonists in different eras of the tournament.
Messi's new record not only reaffirms his individual legacy but also positions him as the top scoring reference in the history of the most important tournament in football. In what could be his last World Cup participation, the Argentine captain continues to extend his mark and leave a footprint that is hard to match.
