REUTERS Lionel Messi Extends World Cup Scoring Record to 18 Goals
Lionel Messi has officially cemented his legacy as the greatest goalscorer in men's World Cup history. The Argentina captain broke the long-standing record with his 17th goal in the tournament, surpassing the previous mark held by German legend Miroslav Klose. But he didn't stop there — just yesterday, on June 22, Messi added his 18th World Cup goal to his tally, further extending his lead at the top of the all-time scoring charts. The historic strike came in Argentina's Group J match against Austria, where he scored a brilliant goal to seal his team's victory.
Messi entered the 2026 World Cup with 13 goals to his name. He began his campaign with a stunning hat-trick against Algeria, which brought his total to 16 and tied him with Klose. Days later, he scored his record-breaking 17th goal against Austria. But in a remarkable display of his enduring brilliance, he found the net once more in the same match, making it 18 goals and becoming the first player in World Cup history to reach that milestone. This achievement came just two days shy of his 39th birthday, proving that age is no barrier to greatness.
New All-Time Top Scorers List
With 18 goals, Messi now stands alone at the top of the men's World Cup scoring charts. Here is the updated list of the all-time top goal-scorers:
| Rank | Player | Country | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 18 |
| 2 | Miroslav Klose | Germany | 16 |
| 3 | Ronaldo | Brazil | 15 |
| T-4 | Gerd Müller | Germany | 14 |
| T-4 | Kylian Mbappé | France | 14 |
| 6 | Just Fontaine | France | 13 |
| 7 | Pelé | Brazil | 12 |
It is important to note that while Messi now holds the men's record, Brazilian female star Marta holds the overall FIFA World Cup scoring record with 17 goals. However, with Messi's 18th goal, he has now surpassed even Marta's record, setting a new benchmark for all players — male and female — in World Cup history.
More Than Just Goals
Messi's record-breaking performance is part of a larger legacy of unparalleled achievements on the world's biggest stage. He already holds several other World Cup records, including:
- Most World Cup appearances (27)
- Most minutes played (2,394)
- Most Man of the Match awards (12)
- Most successful dribbles (125)
- Most goal contributions (goals + assists) with 24 (18 goals and 8 assists)
- First player to score in six different World Cup tournaments
At an age when many players have retired, Messi continues to defy expectations, proving that his brilliance is timeless. His 18th goal yesterday was yet another reminder that the world is witnessing one of the greatest footballers to ever play the game.
