Every Step of 'God of Football' Writes History: Messi Becomes All-Time Top World Cup Scorer

Every step taken by the "God of Football" has invariably written a new chapter in the history of world football.

Argentina's superstar Lionel Messi (38, Inter Miami) has reached unprecedented heights, scoring his 17th and 18th career World Cup goals in what could be his final and sixth World Cup appearance.

In the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group J second match against Austria, held today at Dallas Stadium in Texas, U.S., Messi scored a brace to surpass Miroslav Klose (Germany, 16 goals) and become the sole all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.

Messi suffered from a jinx of missing penalties in three consecutive tournaments after failing to convert a penalty kick in the 9th minute of the first half.

However, he made amends for his mistake by scoring the opening goal (his 17th World Cup goal) in the 38th minute.

He then sealed the victory with his 18th goal in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time, just before the final whistle.

He has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches.

It was also a celebratory goal as he extended his own record for the most appearances in World Cup history to 28 matches.

This historic milestone is the fruit of Messi's 21 years of dedication to his national team.

Having made his international debut at the age of 18 in a friendly match against Hungary in August 2005, Messi suffered a harsh initiation, being sent off just two minutes after coming on as a substitute.

Although he seemed poised for a spectacular rise after scoring his debut World Cup goal the following year in a 6-0 group stage win against Serbia and Montenegro at the 2006 Germany World Cup, his path to the top of the world was far from smooth.

After bowing his head with zero goals (one assist) at the 2010 South Africa World Cup (eliminated in the quarterfinals), Messi suffered the heartbreak of a runner-up finish in Brazil in 2014 (four goals, one assist) and a round-of-16 exit in Russia in 2018 (one goal, two assists) despite his hard-fought efforts.

At the time, while he swept up trophies with his club FC Barcelona (Spain), he faced criticism from fans back home for failing to deliver results matching expectations whenever he played in major tournaments for the national team.

The stage where he overcame these trials was the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Leading Argentina to victory with an overwhelming performance of seven goals and three assists, Messi fulfilled his long-held dream and firmly secured the title of the "Greatest Of All Time" (GOAT).

Having achieved his ultimate goal, Messi defied retirement expectations to step onto his sixth World Cup stage.

Dispelling public concerns that his physical prime had passed, he perfectly proved he is still at the top of his game with unwavering, dominant performances.

Following a hat-trick in the first group stage match against Algeria (a 3-0 win) that brought his career World Cup attacking points to 24 (16 goals, 8 assists)—breaking the record for the most World Cup attacking points held by the "King of Football" Pelé (Brazil, 21)—Messi has now also claimed the title of sole all-time leading goalscorer.

Behind this monumental record, achieved just two days before his 39th birthday, lies a hidden pain.

Recent news of the illness of his father, Jorge Messi (68), who is also his agent and steadfast supporter, has weighed heavily on his mind.

Right after the first match, he wiped away tears, saying, "I've had a difficult few days, unrelated to football," showing the human side of Messi, who grieves for his family's pain off the pitch.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.