Lionel Messi had missed a penalty early in the game but made amends by finishing a chance in the 38th minute. | Photo Credit: AFP

Lionel Messi broke the record of Miroslav Klose on Monday when he scored for Argentina against Austria in their Group J FIFA World Cup 2026 match in Dallas.

The left-footed finish from near the six-yard box took Messi’s tally to 17 goals, one more than the German legend who ended his World Cup haul with 16 goals.

Messi could have broken the record sooner, but missed from the spot in the ninth minute after Lautaro Martinez was fouled in the Austrian penalty area.

Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, Messi’s most-storied contemporary, is lagging far behind at eight goals at World Cups. However, Kylian Mbappe is snapping close at Messi’s heals. The French forward has scored 14 goals so far and is playing just his third World Cup.

Messi, playing in his sixth World Cup, had also scored a hat-trick against Algeria in the side’s tournament opener. This takes his tally in this edition to four goals, putting him in the lead in the Golden Boot standings.

Published on Jun 22, 2026