Argentina captain scores twice against Austria to become World Cup football’s top scorer

Lionel Messi has written another chapter in football history after becoming the highest goalscorer in World Cup history during Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria.

The Argentina captain scored twice in the Group J encounter in Arlington, Texas, moving onto 18 World Cup goals and breaking the previous record he had shared with Germany legend Miroslav Klose.

Messi entered the match level with Klose on 16 goals after producing a hat-trick in Argentina’s opening game of the tournament against Algeria.

The 39-year-old had an early opportunity to claim the record outright but missed a penalty, briefly delaying the historic moment.

However, he eventually delivered in the 38th minute.

After receiving a cutback inside the penalty area, Messi curled a precise finish into the net to score his 17th World Cup goal and move ahead of every player in the tournament’s history.

He then added a second goal later in the match to take his total to 18 and secure Argentina’s victory.

The result guaranteed the defending world champions a place in the knockout stages of the competition.

Messi’s achievement also moved him beyond Brazil legend Marta, who scored 17 goals in Women’s World Cup tournaments.

The Argentine star has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches dating back to the 2022 tournament.

Speaking after the game, Messi admitted he was frustrated by the missed penalty but was pleased to respond positively.

He said there were moments when he felt angry after missing the spot-kick, but was satisfied that he had managed to make up for it later in the match.

The latest milestone adds to an extraordinary World Cup career that began two decades ago.

Messi scored his first World Cup goal on 16 June 2006, when he found the net against Serbia and Montenegro as an 18-year-old.

Twenty years later, he continues to set new records on football’s biggest stage.

He has also become the first player to appear in six different editions of the men’s World Cup, further strengthening his place among the game’s most celebrated figures.

The goals against Austria increased Messi’s international tally for Argentina to 122 goals.

Only Cristiano Ronaldo has scored more international goals in men’s football, with the Portugal captain holding a total of 143.

Messi’s latest victory also gave him another World Cup record.

Argentina’s success against Austria moved it to the top of the all-time list for most victories in men’s World Cup matches.

While attention focused on Messi’s historic achievement, Argentina’s overall performance also demonstrated why they remain among the favourites to defend their title.

The team handled a difficult test against Austria and secured qualification for the knockout rounds with a game to spare.

Elsewhere on the same day, France forward Kylian Mbappé scored twice in a 3-0 victory over Iraq, taking his own World Cup total to 16 goals and moving level with Klose.

Despite the individual records, Messi emphasised that the result itself mattered most.

He described the victory as huge and acknowledged the challenge posed by Austria.

Messi also noted that every match at the tournament had been highly competitive and intense.

For now, Argentina can celebrate both qualification and another remarkable accomplishment from their captain.

At an age when many players have already retired from international football, Messi continues to redefine expectations and strengthen a legacy that already ranks among the greatest in sporting history.

With the knockout rounds approaching, the record-breaking forward will now attempt to add another chapter to his extraordinary World Cup journey.