Lionel Messi told the world he was done with Argentina in 2016. A decade later, the 39-year-old just became the greatest World Cup goalscorer in history, men’s or women’s.
On June 22, 2026, Messi scored twice in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria, pushing his career World Cup tally to 18 goals. That surpassed Miroslav Klose’s men’s record of 16 and Marta’s overall record of 17, placing Messi alone atop a list that spans the entire history of the tournament.
From retirement to record books
After losing the 2016 Copa America final to Chile on penalties, his fourth major final defeat with the national team, Messi declared flatly: “For me, the national team is over.”
He reversed that decision weeks later. Messi captained Argentina to the 2021 Copa America title, ending a 28-year trophy drought for the country. Then came the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he led Argentina to the championship. Now, at an age when most players have long since retired, he’s rewriting records that seemed untouchable.
