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Lionel Messi has scored 17 goals for Argentina in the FIFA World Cup, one more than Miroslav Klose, who netted 16 times for Germany across four editions of the tournament.
Lionel Messi breaks world record of scoring most goals in FIFA World Cup. (Picture Credit: AP)
Lionel Messi etched his name in the history books on Monday (June 22) by becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history. The 38-year-old Argentine scored his record-breaking 17th World Cup goal in the 39th minute of Argentina’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Group J match against Austria at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
Messi had a chance to open his account from the penalty spot in the ninth minute of the match but failed to convert. However, he made amends in the 39th minute of the first half by finding the back of the net.
Messi, who scored a hat-trick in Argentina’s opening match of this year’s FIFA World Cup, now has four goals in the 2026 edition and 17 goals overall in 28 FIFA World Cup appearances.
He has scored three goals each against Nigeria and Algeria, and two against France.
Messi scored his first-ever FIFA World Cup goal on June 16, 2006, against Serbia and Montenegro in Argentina’s group-stage match at Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen.
He scored four goals in the 2014 edition of the tournament, one in 2018, seven in 2022 and has already found the net four times in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Lionel Messi’s goals in FIFA World Cup
| GOAL NUMBER | AGAINST | VENUE | DATE |
| 1 | Serbia and Montenegro | Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen | June 16, 2006 |
| 2 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Estádio do Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro | June 15, 2014 |
| 3 | Iran | Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte | June 21, 2014 |
| 4 | Nigeria | Estádio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre | June 25, 2014 |
| 5 | Nigeria | Estádio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre | June 25, 2014 |
| 6 | Nigeria | Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg | June 26, 2018 |
| 7 | Saudi Arabia | Lusail Stadium, Lusail | November 22, 2022 |
| 8 | Mexico | Lusail Stadium, Lusail | November 26, 2022 |
| 9 | Australia | Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan | December 3, 2022 |
| 10 | Netherlands | Lusail Stadium, Lusail | December 9, 2022 |
| 11 | Croatia | Lusail Stadium, Lusail | December 13, 2022 |
| 12 | France | Lusail Stadium, Lusail | December 18, 2022 |
| 13 | France | Lusail Stadium, Lusail | December 18, 2022 |
| 14 | Algeria | Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City | June 16, 2026 |
| 15 | Algeria | Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City | June 16, 2026 |
| 16 | Algeria | Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City | June 16, 2026 |
| 17 | Austria | AT&T Stadium, Arlington | June 22, 2026 |
In the list of players with the most goals in FIFA World Cup history, Messi is followed by former Germany striker Miroslav Klose, who scored 16 goals across four World Cup editions. Former Brazil striker Ronaldo occupies third place with 15 goals, while France’s Kylian Mbappe has netted 14 times in football’s biggest tournament.
Most goals in FIFA World Cup
| POSITION | PLAYER | COUNTRY | MATCHES | GOALS | EDITIONS |
| 1. | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 28* | 17* | 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026 |
| 2. | Miroslav Klose | Germnay | 24 | 16 | 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 |
| 3. | Ronaldo | Brazil | 19 | 15 | 1994, 1998, 2002T, 2006 |
| =4. | Gerd Müller | West Germany | 13 | 14 | 1970, 1974 |
| =4. | Kylian Mbappe | France | 15 | 14 | 2018, 2022, 2026 |
| 6. | Just Fontaine | France | 6 | 13 | 1958 |
| 7. | Pele | Brazil | 14 | 12 | 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970 |
| =8. | Sándor Kocsis | Hungary | 5 | 11 | 1954 |
| =8. | Jürgen Klinsmann | West Germany/Germany | 17 | 11 | 19901994, 1998 |
Mbappe is level with former West Germany forward Gerd Muller, who also scored 14 goals in 13 matches spread across two World Cup editions.
About the Author
Harshit Bisht is a sports journalist with CNN-News18 since July 1, 2024, and covers cricket with a sharp eye for records, trends, and match analysis. Based in Noida, he has reported extensively on the…Read More
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