Lionel Messi became the all-time leading goalscorer at the World Cup as Argentina beat Austria 2-0 in Dallas, booking his side’s slot in the knockouts.
Messi delivered a masterclass performance that will be remembered for generations, despite an early setback. After a missed penalty early on, Messi locked onto a Thiago Almada cutback to make tournament history with a first-time finish after half an hour.
Messi entered the day on 16 goals following a hat trick in Argentina’s opener, and missed a penalty early on against Austria, which briefly denied him the outright record. However, the 38-year-old refused to be deterred. Messi curled home from a cutback in the 38th minute and then added a late second in the 2-0 win in Dallas.
With his brace, Messi now stands alone atop the World Cup’s all-time scoring charts with 18 goals, surpassing Germany’s Miroslav Klose’s previous record of 16. The Argentina captain has now scored in six consecutive World Cups.
What makes this achievement even more extraordinary is Messi’s age. At 38 years old, the Inter Miami forward continues to defy expectations and rewrite football history on the sport’s grandest stage.
Argentina’s triumph on Monday afternoon propelled Messi to lead in most men’s World Cup victories as well. As he approaches his 39th birthday, Messi has added yet another unforgettable chapter to his legendary career, cementing his status as the greatest World Cup goalscorer in history.
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