Argentina captain Lionel Messi etched his name deeper into football history on Monday, becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history after scoring his 17th tournament goal in Argentina’s group-stage clash against Austria at the FIFA 2026 World Cup.
The 38-year-old goal poacher surpassed former Germany striker Miroslav Klose’s long-standing record of 16 goals when he opened the scoring for the defending champions, despite having missed a penalty earlier in the match.
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Messi had equalled Klose’s record in Argentina’s opening game of the tournament, scoring a hat-trick in a 3-0 victory over Algeria. His strike against Austria moved him clear at the top of the World Cup scoring charts with 17 goals across six World Cup finals.
The Argentine superstar reached the milestone in his 28th World Cup appearance, compared to the 24 matches Klose needed to score his 16 goals. Related News When will Nigeria be safe? Buying a used car? Key checks every buyer should make C & I Leasing quotes N18.90 bn Commercial Paper on FMDQ Exchange
