(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Lionel Messi Closes in on FIFA World Cup All-Time Scoring Record
Lionel Messi is on the verge of making FIFA World Cup history as Argentina prepare to face Austria in their second Group L match of the 2026 World Cup in Dallas.
The Argentina captain is currently tied with Germany’s Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals, the highest total in tournament history. Messi reached this milestone after scoring a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening group-stage match.
Most Goals in FIFA World Cup History
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 16*
- Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 16
- Ronaldo (Brazil) – 15
- Kylian Mbappé (France) – 14*
- Gerd Müller (West Germany) – 14
- Just Fontaine (France) – 13
A goal against Austria would see Messi move ahead of Klose and become the outright leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history.
Defending champions Argentina began their campaign strongly and will be aiming for another win to move closer to securing qualification for the round of 32. Austria, coached by Ralf Rangnick, also opened their tournament with a 3-1 win over Jordan and will look to continue their positive start.
Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister praised Messi’s importance to the squad, saying the team continues to rely on his leadership and experience.
Head coach Lionel Scaloni also spoke about the strong team spirit within the squad, highlighting the close bond among players and their support for Messi during the tournament.
