Messi becomes the all-time leading scorer in men’s World Cup, surpasses Klose

Lionel Messi has become the all-time leading scorer in men’s World Cup history after scoring for Argentina against Austria in their second Group J match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday.

The Argentina captain’s goal took him to 17 at the tournament, moving him clear of Germany’s Miroslav Klose, who had held the men’s record with 16 goals.

It is another historic milestone for Messi, who is playing at his sixth World Cup and continues to add to a career already filled with records, trophies and defining moments.

At 39, the Argentine forward is still shaping the biggest matches for his country, four years after leading Argentina to the World Cup title in Qatar.

His latest goal means he now stands alone at the top of the men’s scoring list and level with Brazil great Marta, who has also scored 17 goals across Women’s World Cup tournaments.

One more goal would make Messi the outright leading scorer across both men’s and women’s World Cups.

Messi moves past Klose

Messi began the 2026 World Cup on 13 goals, still three behind Klose’s long-standing record.

But his start to the tournament has been extraordinary.

He scored a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria last Tuesday, immediately moving level with the German striker.

His goal against Austria then took him beyond Klose and into a category of his own in the men’s game.

Klose’s 16-goal record had stood since the 2014 World Cup, when the former Germany striker surpassed Brazil legend Ronaldo.

Now Messi, who made his World Cup debut in 2006, has taken the record after two decades of appearances at the tournament.

It is a remarkable achievement for a player who has reinvented himself across different eras of international football.

From teenage prodigy in Germany 2006 to global icon and World Cup winner in Qatar 2022, Messi’s tournament journey has now reached another historic peak.

Six World Cups, one record-breaking legacy

Messi’s World Cup scoring story has not been straightforward.

He scored once in 2006, failed to score in 2010, then netted four times in 2014 as Argentina reached the final in Brazil.

In 2018, he scored once during a difficult tournament in Russia, before producing his greatest World Cup campaign in 2022 with seven goals as Argentina lifted the trophy.

His four goals so far in 2026 have taken him beyond every male player in the history of the competition.

Messi’s World Cup goals by tournament now stand at:

2006: 1
2010: 0
2014: 4
2018: 1
2022: 7
2026: 4 and counting

That record shows both his longevity and his ability to remain decisive across different generations of players.

Few footballers have maintained such influence for so long at the highest level.

Even fewer have done it at the World Cup, where pressure is at its most intense and chances to write history are limited.

Marta record now in sight

Messi’s 17th World Cup goal has also brought him level with Marta, one of the greatest players in the history of the women’s game.

The Brazilian forward has long been the benchmark for World Cup scoring across the women’s tournament.

Messi now needs one more goal to move ahead of her and become the overall top scorer across World Cup competitions.

That possibility adds another layer of significance to Argentina’s remaining group match.

The defending champions will complete their Group J campaign against Jordan next Saturday.

With Argentina already showing strong form, Messi will have another opportunity to extend his record and move into an even more exclusive place in football history.

Mbappé leads the chase

Kylian Mbappé remains Messi’s closest active challenger.

The France forward has 14 World Cup goals and has already scored twice at the 2026 tournament.

At 27, Mbappé still has time to challenge Messi’s record in the years ahead.

France face Iraq in Group I later in the day, giving him another chance to close the gap.

But for now, the record belongs to Messi.

His achievement is not only about goals. It is about consistency, longevity and the ability to keep producing in the most watched tournament in football.

For Argentina, his scoring form is also a major boost as they continue their attempt to defend the title they won in Qatar.

Messi has already delivered World Cup immortality for his country.

Now he has added the men’s scoring record to his legacy.

At 39, he is still not finished.