Confirmed: Barcelona legend Lionel Messi becomes the highest goalscorer in World Cup history

Confirmed: Barcelona legend Lionel Messi becomes the highest goalscorer in World Cup history

Barcelona legend and Argentina captain Lionel Messi has officially become the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history, netting his 17th tournament goal to surpass Germany’s Miroslav Klose.

The historic milestone occurred during Argentina’s World Cup match against Austria on June 22, 2026, anchoring the legendary forward’s name at the very pinnacle of international football folklore.

A couple of misses before Messi hit the mark

The record-breaking moment arrived on a night of intense drama and fluctuating fortunes for the Argentine captain.

Entering the match tied with Klose on 16 goals after his opening day hat-trick against Algeria, all eyes were on Messi as he sought to claim the record outright.

The GOAT doing GOAT things. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The narrative took an unexpected turn early in the game when the record eight-time Ballon d’Or winner uncharacteristically missed a penalty kick, followed shortly by a squandered close-range goalscoring opportunity that left fans in disbelief.

However, resilience has defined the 38-year-old’s career, and he quickly redeemed himself. Shaking off the early misses, Messi capitalised on a neat opportunity to sweep the ball home from the edge of the box, sending the stadium into a frenzy.

The strike officially breaks Klose’s long-standing record of 16 goals, which the German striker had finalized during the 2014 tournament.

The undisputed GOAT

This latest achievement adds to an already unmatched resume, further cementing Messi’s status as the greatest of all time. Having previously led Argentina to World Cup glory, this individual record serves as the definitive crowning achievement of his international career.

With this 17th goal in 28 games, Messi now stands alone at the summit of World Cup history. As Argentina aim to progress further into the 2026 tournament, the iconic No. 10 has the opportunity to extend his newly acquired record even further.

However, Real Madrid superstar and France captain Kylian Mbappe is close on 14 goals.