Lionel Messi Breaks World Cup Scoring Record With 17th Career Goal

Lionel Messi added another milestone to his legendary career Monday, becoming the all-time leading scorer in men’s World Cup history during Argentina’s Group J match against Austria.

The Argentina captain scored his 17th World Cup goal in the 39th minute, breaking a tie with former Germany striker Miroslav Klose and giving Argentina a 1-0 lead in Dallas. Messi initially appeared poised to claim the record earlier in the match but missed a penalty before finding the net later in the first half.

The goal also extended Messi’s remarkable scoring streak to six consecutive World Cup matches dating back to the 2022 tournament.

Messi entered the match tied with Klose after recording a hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria on June 16 to open the 2026 World Cup. The three-goal performance was the 11th hat trick of his international career and his first on the World Cup stage.

Despite reaching another historic benchmark, Messi previously downplayed the significance of the record.

“It’s an honor being up there for what it means, being alongside Klose and Ronaldo,” Messi said after tying the mark. “But it doesn’t mean anything. At the end of the day, they are stats and nothing more.”

Messi’s World Cup journey began on June 16, 2006, when he scored his first tournament goal as an 18-year-old against Serbia and Montenegro. Two decades later, he continues to rewrite the record books, having also become the first player to appear in six different men’s World Cups.

The goal was the 120th of Messi’s international career for Argentina, second only to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 143.