The captain of the Argentinean team, extends his streak to six consecutive matches scoring in the World Cup. Photo: EFE.

The Argentinean captain Lionel Messi became this Monday the all-time top scorer and player with the most victories in World Cup history after scoring a decisive brace against Austria in Dallas.

On June 22, the current World Champion Argentina secured qualification for the World Cup 2026 round of 32 after defeating Austria 2-0 in Dallas, thanks to a historic double from Lionel Messi.

This outstanding individual performance allowed the Argentinean captain to break the two most important historical records held by German striker Miroslav Klose.

The South American attacker reached 18 goals in World Cup history and also achieved his 18th victory in the prestigious international tournament.

Additionally, Messi became the third-oldest football player to score a goal in a World Cup match, at exactly 38 years and 363 days of age. This longevity milestone is only surpassed by Portuguese defender Pepe, who scored at 39 years, and Cameroonian legendary striker Roger Milla, who scored at 42 years.

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The striker achieved this milestone during his 27th match in the prestigious tournament, spanning 6 editions of the competition. With this goal, the captain of the Argentinean national team officially surpassed German striker Miroslav Klose, who scored 16 goals in 6 editions, and Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazário, who registered 15 goals in four tournament editions.

The historic play occurred during the 38th minute of the first half. Defender Facundo Medina advanced down the left sector and delivered a precise pass into the penalty area. Lionel Messi controlled the ball and executed a quick shot to overcome Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager.

A Legendary Milestone

This milestone establishes the South American attacker as the most effective scorer in the history of global football. The historical data confirms his regular contribution to the national team since his debut in the competition twenty years ago.

His sporting journey began in Germany 2006, where he registered one goal against Serbia and Montenegro during the group stage. Although he did not score during the South Africa 2010 campaign, the forward regained his offensive efficiency in subsequent editions.

During the Brazil 2014 edition, the attacker scored four goals in the group stage. He registered one goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina, one against Iran, and a double against Nigeria. Later, in Russia 2018, he scored one goal, also against Nigeria, during the group stage.

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The Historic Journey

The peak of his goalscoring production occurred during the Qatar 2022 edition, where he scored seven goals to lead his country to the world title. During that campaign, the captain scored one goal against Saudi Arabia and one against Mexico in the group stage.

Subsequently, the forward maintained his scoring efficiency during the knockout stages. He scored one goal against Australia in the round of 16, one against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals, and another against Croatia in the semifinals. The striker concluded that tournament with two goals against France in the final match.

In the current 2026 World Cup edition, organized by Mexico, the United States, and Canada, the Argentine player scored three goals against Algeria during the group stage. The recent goal against the Austrian squad completes his seventeen goals, cementing his position at the absolute top of international football.

With this achievement, the South American athlete breaks a long-standing European dominance in the tournament statistics, demonstrating his legendary longevity in professional sports.

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