Argentina captain Lionel Messi became the highest goalscorer in men’s FIFA World Cup history on Monday after netting his 17th tournament goal in Argentina’s Group J clash against Austria.
The 39th-minute strike in Dallas saw Messi surpass German legend Miroslav Klose, whose record of 16 World Cup goals had stood since 2014.
Messi had earlier missed a penalty before finding the net to hand Argentina a 1-0 lead. The goal also extended his scoring streak to six consecutive World Cup matches dating back to the 2022 tournament.
The 39-year-old had equalled Klose’s record with a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup. The treble was the 11th of Messi’s international career and his first at a World Cup.