EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLionel Messi became the highest goalscorer in men's World Cup history on Monday, moving up to 17 and breaking a tie with Germany legend Miroslav Klose in Argentina's Group J match against Austria.The Argentina captain has now scored in six consecutive World Cup games since 2022.Messi, after missing a penalty early on against Austria that briefly denied him the all-time record, struck home in the 39th minute to give Argentina a 1-0 lead in Dallas.Messi had tied Klose's record by scoring a hat trick during Argentina's 3-0 over Algeria to kick off the 2026 World Cup on June 16. The hat trick stands as the 11th of Messi's international career, but first at a World Cup."It's an honor being up there for what it means, being alongside Klose and [Brazil's] Ronaldo, who is there also. But it doesn't mean anything," Messi said of the record on June 16. "[Kylian] Mbapp is there, too, he scored twice [on Tuesday]. At the end of the day, they are stats and nothing more."Messi scored his first World Cup goal on June 16, 2006, at 18 years old, netting a second-half strike against Serbia and Montenegro.Twenty years later, he continues to break records by leading in goal count and becoming the first player to feature in six different editions of a men's World Cup.The goal puts Messi up to 120 international goals for Argentina, trailing only Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 143.
