Lionel Messi has etched his name further into football history by becoming the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing Germany’s Miroslav Klose with his 17th tournament goal. The milestone came with a low strike in the eighth minute — following a penalty miss — before Messi added an 18th goal in second-half stoppage time, squeezing the ball past two Austria defenders from a tight angle. This achievement came just two days before his 39th birthday, a moment BBC commentator Steve Bower called “another immortal Messi moment.”
The journey to this record is one of remarkable resilience. Back in 2016, following a Copa America final defeat to Chile — in which Messi missed a penalty in a shootout as Argentina lost a fourth major final in nine years — he announced his international retirement. That decision was later reversed, sparking one of the most triumphant chapters in both his career and Argentine football history.
Since returning to international football, Messi has been unstoppable on the global stage. Argentina have won the last two Copa America tournaments, and in 2022, Messi captained his nation to World Cup glory — their third title and first since 1986 — scoring seven goals, including two in the final. He has now scored 13 World Cup goals since reversing his retirement decision, with a staggering 12 of his 18 total tournament goals coming after the age of 35.
The statistics surrounding Messi’s World Cup record are extraordinary. His 18 goals have come across 28 World Cup matches, appearing at his sixth tournament. Fourteen of those goals have been scored with his left foot, and four have come from outside the box. Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague summed it up on BBC Radio 5 Live: “We don’t have time to create statues for Lionel Messi or deep analysis for him in newspapers. We cannot keep pace.”
With Argentina already guaranteed a last-32 place and more games still to come — including a match against Jordan — Messi shows no signs of stopping. “I enjoy playing and having a good time on the pitch,” Messi said. “We enjoy seeing the people like this too, being able to give them this kind of joy.” Balague added: “He is enjoying it and this is the best thing. Here at the end, he was running like anyone else — now he knows his body so well.” Betting against further Messi World Cup goals would be a fool’s errand.
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
