Dallas, June 23: In a thrilling match at Dallas Stadium on June 22, Lionel Messi scored for Argentina against Austria in the FIFA World Cup 2026 ‘Group J’ match. With this goal, he set a new record for the most individual goals scored by any player in the tournament’s history. This marked Messi’s 17th goal in World Cup tournaments and his fourth goal in the 2026 edition.
Just two days shy of his 39th birthday, Messi not only broke the record for the most goals in the tournament but also became the third player to score in six consecutive World Cup matches, following France’s Just Fontaine and Brazil’s Jairzinho. With his fourth goal in this tournament, Messi has now scored a total of 17 goals in World Cup history.
Messi surpassed the previous record of 16 goals held by Germany’s Miroslav Klose. He now leads the list with 17 goals, followed by Klose with 16 and Brazil’s Ronaldo with 15. France’s Kylian Mbappé and Germany’s Gerd Müller are next on the list with 14 goals each.
As the reigning champions, Argentina faced a tough challenge from Austria, and Messi led the team’s impressive comeback with a stunning goal. After receiving the ball, he passed it to Thiago Almada, who returned it with a brilliant pass. Messi controlled the ball and delivered a powerful shot, outsmarting Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager. He could have set the record earlier but missed a penalty. By halftime, Argentina was leading Austria 1-0.
Argentina showcased aggressive play, dominating the early minutes but failing to capitalize on their chances after Messi’s penalty miss, which slightly weakened their control. In the following minutes, Austria gained momentum and took control of the game, employing high pressing to thwart Argentina’s attacking efforts. They managed to keep the game level for the next 15 minutes, but their dominance did not translate into goals.
Argentina regained the lead when Messi orchestrated a move in midfield. He combined well with Thiago Almada to create a great opportunity, converting it into a goal and setting the record for the most individual goals scored in World Cup history.
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