Lionel Messi etched his name further into football history on Monday, becoming the all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history after netting his 17th tournament goal for Argentina against Austria.
The Argentina captain surpassed the previous record of 16 goals held by former Germany striker Miroslav Klose, setting a new benchmark on the sport’s biggest stage.
Messi had drawn level with Klose’s long-standing record after scoring a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening Group J match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 39-year-old forward reached the milestone when he found the back of the net against Austria, taking his World Cup tally to 17 goals and further cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players in football history.
Details later.
