Messi becomes all-time leading scorer and leads Argentina to victory over Austria

Lionel Messi etched his name further into football history on June 22, 2026, becoming the all-time leading scorer in World Cup tournaments. Playing against Austria at the stadium in Dallas, the Argentine star netted his 17th goal in the competition, breaking the previous record held by Germany's Miroslav Klose.

Messi's historic achievement came amidst a dominant performance where he scored a total of two goals against Austria. His first goal saw him strike from the edge of the area into the bottom right corner, leaving Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager unable to make a save. Despite reaching the milestone, Messi's drive for victory was evident as he initiated a counter-attack that led to Julián Álvarez's chance, and then insisted on the play to score his second goal, bringing his World Cup tally to 18.

The match was not without its challenges for Messi. Early in the game, Argentina was awarded a penalty when Xaver Schlager and Stefan Posch fouled an Argentine player in the box. However, Messi's attempt from the spot was saved by Schlager. Later, in open play, Messi had another opportunity but his shot was blocked by the goalkeeper.

Despite the missed penalty, Messi's talent shone through, opening the scoring for Argentina. After receiving a pass on the edge of the area, he finished clinically to reach his fourth goal of the 2026 World Cup and set the new all-time scoring record. The "Albiceleste" ultimately secured a 2-0 victory, with Messi's goals proving decisive.