Lionel Messi Breaks FIFA World Cup Records with Historic Performance

Lionel Messi has made history by becoming the player with the most wins in FIFA World Cup history, surpassing Miroslav Klose's record. In a recent match against Austria, Messi scored twice, bringing his total World Cup victories to 18 and becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in men's World Cup history. This performance not only solidifies his legacy but also places Argentina at the top of Group J, ensuring their progression to the knockout stage. Discover more about Messi's incredible achievements and the match highlights.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 23, 2026, 05:37 IST

Messi Sets New FIFA World Cup Records

In Texas on June 22, Lionel Messi achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the player with the most wins in FIFA World Cup history. He surpassed the previous record held by German icon Miroslav Klose, securing his 18th victory as Argentina triumphed over Austria 2-0.

As reported by Guinness World Records, Messi's latest win brings his total to 18 World Cup match victories, the highest ever recorded in the tournament's history.

Messi had initially matched Klose's record of 17 wins following Argentina's 3-0 victory against Algeria in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup, where he netted a hat-trick. His two goals against Austria allowed him to take the lead in the record books.

All the records broken by Lionel Messi today:

Most FIFA World Cup finals goals by a football (soccer) player – 18

Most FIFA World Cup matches played in by an individual – 28

Most matches won by a player at the football (soccer) FIFA World Cup – 18

Most minutes played in the…

— Guinness World Records (@GWR) June 22, 2026

During the match, Messi scored his first goal in the 38th minute, surpassing Klose's previous record of 16 goals in World Cup history. He added another goal in stoppage time, bringing his total to 18 and placing him two goals ahead of Klose.

Additionally, Messi became only the second player in men's FIFA World Cup history to score four or more goals in three different tournaments (2014, 2022, and 2026), a feat previously achieved by Klose.

With these two goals, Messi now leads the scoring chart in the current World Cup with five goals from just two matches, following his hat-trick against Algeria.

The Argentine captain faced an early challenge, missing a penalty in the sixth minute after a VAR review awarded him a spot kick. Austria put pressure on the defending champions throughout the first half.

However, Messi broke the deadlock in the 38th minute, finishing calmly after a clever dummy from Thiago Almada allowed him to find space.

Austria continued to press after halftime, but Argentina managed the game effectively, thanks to strategic substitutions by coach Lionel Scaloni around the 64th and 65th minutes, bringing in Julian Alvarez and Nicolas Gonzalez to exploit gaps.

As Austria pushed for an equalizer, Argentina struck again in stoppage time. Messi led a quick counter-attack and finished decisively in the 95th minute, sealing a 2-0 victory and completing his brace.

At 38 years old, Messi has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches, equaling the all-time record for consecutive World Cup games with a goal, a record shared with Just Fontaine of France and Jairzinho of Brazil.

This victory positions Argentina at the top of Group J with six points from two matches, ensuring their advancement to the knockout stage.