[95647] Lionel Messi Breaks Records at the 2026 World Cup: The Historical Top Scorer of the World Cup

Lionel Messi rewrites history at the 2026 World Cup

In an unforgettable night for the football world, Argentina national team star Lionel Messi became the top scorer in the history of the World Cups. According to a report by Times of Ukraine, Messi scored his 17th goal in the tournament during the match against the Austrian national team, thereby surpassing the previous record of German striker Miroslav Klose (16 goals). Later in the same match, Messi increased his tally to 18 goals, as reported by Bombardyr channel, thus solidifying his position as the sole record holder.

The achievement came on a night full of events at the stadium in Dallas. According to the 24 Kanal network, Messi not only broke the scoring record but also secured a 2:0 victory for his team, which guaranteed its place in the playoffs. Reports by Lvivych added that the sporting achievement coincides with the unveiling of a giant statue of the player in Argentina, standing 26 meters tall.

Alongside the success, Messi also recorded an unusual negative statistic. According to Bombardyr, after missing a penalty against Austria, Messi became the "first player in history to miss three penalties in different World Cups." UA Stream emphasized that despite the miss, Messi demonstrated leadership and continued to lead his team to victory.

Reactions to the new record were mostly positive in the Ukrainian media, which is characterized by a line that emphasizes support for successful global figures and criticism of Russian regimes. The Brutal Football Telegram channel noted that Messi equaled another historical achievement of scoring in six consecutive World Cup matches, stating that "one more goal will make the Argentine the absolute record holder."