Messi breaks World Cup scoring record with 17th and 18th goals

Lionel Messi turned another World Cup stage into a record-book rewrite, scoring twice to push his career total to 18 goals and move past Miroslav Klose’s long-standing men’s mark of 16. The goals gave Messi the 17th and 18th World Cup strikes of his career and extended a run that has already defined Argentina’s modern tournament history.

The milestone mattered because Messi entered the tournament tied with Klose at 16, with FIFA’s historical record placing the German striker at the top of the men’s all-time list across four World Cups. Messi’s surge carried him beyond that threshold and left him alone at the summit, a climb that reflects both longevity and efficiency on the game’s biggest stage.

The comparison with Klose highlights how unusual Messi’s arc has been. Klose built his total through four editions of the tournament, while Messi kept producing deep into a career that had already included a Golden Ball at Qatar 2022 and Argentina’s first World Cup title since 1986. Messi did not just pile up goals; he helped shape the outcome of the tournament, winning the adidas Golden Ball and leading Argentina to the trophy.

FIFA’s tournament statistics show just how broad that influence was. At Qatar 2022, Messi produced 21 World Cup goal contributions, a record since 1966, and he became the first player to score in the group stage, Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in a single World Cup. He also became Argentina’s all-time leading scorer at the tournament, moving three clear of Gabriel Batistuta.

That broader record helps explain why Messi’s latest scoring mark resonates beyond one match. It is not simply that he overtook Klose. It is that he did so while still operating as the central attacking reference point for Argentina, in a tournament format that demands repeated excellence over seven matches and against increasingly difficult opposition.

Messi’s place in the World Cup scoring race now stands in a historical frame that includes Ronaldo and active challengers such as Kylian Mbappé. Yet the gap he created against Klose, and the range of competition he has outlasted, underline the same conclusion: Messi has extended his World Cup life far beyond the typical superstar arc, and he has done it by continuing to decide the biggest games.