Lionel Messi creates history, becomes FIFA World Cup's all-time leading scorer | Other Sports News | Zee News

Lionel Messi officially cemented his status as the greatest big-stage scorer in football as he became the top scorer in FIFA World Cup history with an impressive goal against Austria in Argentina’s second Group J match on Monday.

With a clinical 38th-minute strike against Austria in a high-stakes FIFA World Cup 2026 clash, the 38-year-old maestro netted his 17th career World Cup goal, breaking Miroslav Klose’s long-standing record of 16 goals.

The milestone arrives just two days before Messi celebrates his 39th birthday, proving that his era-defining brilliance shows no signs of waning.

Top 10 goal scorers in FIFA World Cup history:

1. Lionel Messi (Argentina)

World Cups: Six – 2006 (one goal), 2010 (no goals), 2014 (four goals), 2018 (one goal), 2022 (seven goals), 2026 (four goals to date)

2. Miroslav Klose (Germany)

World Cups: Four – 2002 (five goals), 2006 (five goals), 2010 (four goals), 2014 (two goals)

Matches played: 24

Goals: 15

World Cups: Four – 1994 (no goals), 1998 (four goals), 2002 (eight goals), 2006 (three goals)

Matches played: 19

4. Gerd Muller (West Germany)

Goals: 14

World Cups: Two – 1970 (10 goals), 1974 (four goals)

Matches played: 13

5. Kylian Mbappe (France)

Goals: 14

World Cups: Three – 2018 (four goals), 2022 (eight goals), 2026 (two goals to date)

Matches played: 15

6. Just Fontaine (France)

Goals: 13

World Cups: One – 1958

Matches played: Six

Goals: 12

World Cups: Four – 1958 (six goals), 1962 (one goal), 1966 (one goal), 1970 (four goals)

Matches played: 14

8. Jurgen Klinsmann (West Germany/Germany)

Goals: 11

World Cups: Three – 1990 (three goals), 1994 (five goals), 1998 (three goals)

Matches played: 17

9. Sandor Kocsis (Hungary)

Goals: 11

World Cups: One – 1954

Matches played: Five

10. Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina)

World Cups: Three – 1994 (four goals), 1998 (five goals), 2002 (one goal)