Lionel Messi officially claimed the title of the greatest goal-scorer in men’s World Cup history after netting a brace in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria. The record-breaking performance during the ongoing 2026 tournament pushes his career total past Germany’s Miroslav Klose, ending a long-standing era and cementing a new milestone in international football.
Key Details
- Messi is now the all-time leading scorer, surpassing Klose’s previous benchmark of 16 goals.
- The Argentine captain has scored five goals in just two matches during the 2026 group stage.
- He joins Klose as the only male players to score four or more goals in three separate World Cup editions.
The broader football world reacted immediately to the milestone, with former Barcelona teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic delivering a highly self-deprecating assessment of the achievement. Speaking on Fox Sports, the former Sweden striker marveled at the pace of the current run, praising the Argentine captain while mocking his own historical output.
“Five goals in two games,” Ibrahimovic stated during the broadcast. “I have zero goals in two World Cups. So I’m happy for him and I hope he continues.” Despite dominating domestic leagues throughout his career, Ibrahimovic failed to find the net in 11 total World Cup appearances.
While fans monitor the rest of the World Cup schedule, the reactions have poured in from across the globe. French star Kylian Mbappé downplayed the ongoing goal race saga, while former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and current Argentine teammates Lisandro Martinez and Emi Martinez openly praised the performance. The game did feature one statistical blemish when the forward failed to convert a spot-kick against Austria. Ibrahimovic addressed the missed opportunity directly, according to international sports coverage.
“You have moments where he looks human by missing the penalty,” Ibrahimovic explained. “Then you have the moments when he doesn’t look human. That’s Messi.”