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Messi Scores Twice to Set New All-Time World Cup Goal Record

Yu Byeongmin

Published : Jun 24, 2026 12:54 AM


[Anchor]

"God of Football" Lionel Messi has written a new chapter in World Cup history. By scoring two goals against Austria, he has broken the record for the most goals scored in the tournament's history.

Reporter Yu Byeongmin has the story.

[Reporter]

Messi, who tied Germany's Miroslav Klose for the all-time record of 16 goals after scoring a hat-trick in the opening match against Algeria, had a chance to break the record just nine minutes into the first half against Austria when he stepped up for a penalty kick. However, he hung his head as his shot missed to the right of the goal.

The crowd responded with even louder cheers of encouragement for Messi. Fueled by this support, Messi finally found the back of the net in the 38th minute.

He connected with a cutback from the left, firing a powerful, one-touch shot that rattled the net.

The stadium erupted as he broke the all-time World Cup scoring record with his 17th career goal.

Messi's goal-scoring spree did not stop there.

During stoppage time in the second half, he created a chance for a teammate with a precise pass on a counterattack, but the shot was saved by the goalkeeper. Moments later, Messi received a pass inside the penalty box, navigated through the dense defense with his signature dribbling, and found the net on his second attempt, letting out a roar of celebration.

As he capitalized on a tiny gap despite being tightly marked by four defenders and the goalkeeper to score an artistic goal, the Austrian players collapsed in dismay.

Led by Messi's one-man show, Argentina defeated Austria 2-0, securing their spot in the Round of 32 with two consecutive wins.

[Lionel Messi/Argentina National Football Team: I was very angry with myself when I missed the penalty kick. But we turned the situation around, took the lead, and added three points. That is what matters.]

With 18 career World Cup goals, Messi now stands alone at the top of the all-time list, two goals clear of second place. He also leads the current tournament with five goals, boosting his chances of winning his first-ever World Cup Golden Boot.

(Video Editing: Park Chun-bae)