Lionel Messi has etched his name deeper into football history, surpassing Miroslav Klose's long-standing record to become the outright top scorer in FIFA World Cup history with 18 goals.

The Argentina captain reached the milestone by netting his 17th and 18th World Cup goals during Argentina's FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match against Austria, a performance that brought an end to Klose's record, which had stood for over a decade.

Messi's World Cup journey spans multiple tournaments, and his 18-goal tally now stands as the definitive benchmark for individual scoring at football's greatest stage. No player in the history of the competition has found the net more often.

Argentina, one of the tournament's leading contenders, continued their campaign in the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage as Messi added yet another historic chapter to an already extraordinary international career.

The record underlines Messi's enduring influence on the global game and cements his legacy not only as one of Argentina's greatest ever players, but as a towering figure in the history of the World Cup itself.