Lionel Messi has once again etched his name into football history after guiding Argentina to a 2-0 victory over Austria in Dallas, securing qualification for the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Argentina captain, aged 38, overcame an early penalty miss to score twice, breaking multiple Guinness World Records in the process.
Messi Breaks Klose's Record and Doubles Down
The match began with a VAR-awarded penalty after a foul on Lautaro Martínez, but Messi's spot-kick was saved. However, he quickly redeemed himself by opening the scoring with a clinical finish from Facundo Medina's low cross, taking his World Cup tally to 17 goals and surpassing Germany's Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history. He added a second goal deep into stoppage time, bringing his tournament total to five goals in just two group-stage matches, following his earlier hat-trick against Algeria.
Guinness World Records Confirms Four New Milestones
After the match, Guinness World Records confirmed four new records for Messi, posting on X: "All the records broken by Lionel Messi today: Most FIFA World Cup finals goals by a football (soccer) player - 18; Most FIFA World Cup matches played in by an individual - 28; Most matches won by a player at the football (soccer) FIFA World Cup - 18; Most minutes played in the football (soccer) FIFA World Cup - 2,489. We are witnessing history." These records add to those he already held from the 2022 World Cup, including most Man of the Match awards (11) and most World Cup appearances as captain (19).
Experts React: "Are We Watching the Greatest Ever?"
Messi's performance sparked debate about his place in football history. Former Wales defender Ashley Williams said: "Are we looking at the greatest player ever? It's possible and definitely worth the debate. We might have just witnessed the greatest player that football has ever seen." Former England midfielder Danny Murphy praised his intelligence: "Lionel Messi keeps getting in those great areas with the free role he has got. His football intelligence is off the charts." France World Cup winner Olivier Giroud added: "He is not suffering physically, he is managing his healthy lifestyle well. He's unbelievable." However, former England striker Chris Sutton raised concerns about Argentina's dependence on Messi: "The negative side is they probably want others to contribute more."
Messi's World Cup Impact Continues to Grow
Messi has now scored all five of Argentina's goals at this World Cup, sits top of the scoring charts, and has been directly involved in 12 goals across his last six World Cup appearances (10 goals, 2 assists). He also became only the third player in history to score in six consecutive World Cup matches, joining France's Just Fontaine and Brazil's Jairzinho. Despite missing a penalty—his third failed spot-kick at World Cups, after misses against Iceland in 2018 and Poland in 2022—Messi remains central to Argentina's title defense.
