Lionel Messi Breaks World Cup Scoring Record with 18 Goals as Argentina Reach Knockouts
Lionel Messi missed an early penalty. Then he made history. The Argentina legend scored a brilliant brace against Austria to become the FIFA World Cup’s all-time leading scorer with 18 goals—surpassing Miroslav Klose’s 16.
The records broken in one match:
| Record | New Mark |
|---|---|
| Most World Cup goals | 18 |
| Most World Cup matches played | 28 |
| Most World Cup wins | 18 |
| Most minutes played | 2,489 |
| Goals in 6 consecutive World Cup matches | Joined Just Fontaine (1958) and Jairzinho (1970) |
The irony:
Messi also set the record for most penalties missed at a World Cup (3) before becoming the tournament’s all-time top scorer.
The match:
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38th minute: Messi strokes into the bottom corner after Facundo Medina’s ball found him in the area
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90+5 minute: Messi seals victory deep into injury time
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Result: Argentina 2-0 Austria
The context:
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Argentina’s defending champions top Group J with 6 points
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The drama unfolded on the 40th anniversary of Diego Maradona’s wonder goal against England
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Messi now leads the tournament’s Golden Boot standings
Messi Smashes World Cup Record as Argentina Cruise Into Knockouts
What they said:
Messi: “I’m really happy about the win. This is the World Cup. We’re happy to have already qualified.”
Lisandro Martinez: “He is a class above. I don’t have the words. It is a great feeling that he is Argentinian.”
Guinness World Records: “We are witnessing history.”
The bottom line:
A missed penalty. A broken record. Another chapter in football’s greatest story.
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