Lionel Messi is now the all-time leading goalscorer in men's FIFA World Cup history. His brace against Austria took his career tally to 18 World Cup goals, moving him past the previous record and putting him alone atop the list — while also extending his lead in the race for the 2026 adidas Golden Boot.

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The Record-Breaking Moment

Messi's double in Argentina's win over Austria in Group J was his 17th and 18th World Cup goals, scored across six tournaments spanning nearly two decades of his international career. The achievement caps an extraordinary run for the 38-year-old, who is appearing in what he has indicated will be his final World Cup, and adds another chapter to arguably the greatest individual goalscoring record the tournament has ever seen.

Golden Boot Race: Messi Leads the Pack

With 5 goals through the group stage, Messi currently sits atop the 2026 Golden Boot standings, a goal clear of a stacked chasing pack:

1. Lionel Messi (ARG) — 5 goals

2. Vinícius Jr. (BRA) — 4 goals

3. Kylian Mbappé (FRA) — 4 goals

4. Erling Haaland (NOR) — 4 goals

5. Deniz Undav (GER), Johan Manzambi (SUI), Matheus Cunha (BRA), Ismael Saibari (MAR), and Jonathan David (CAN) — 3 goals each

If the race comes down to a tie on goals, FIFA's tiebreaker — total assists, as determined by the Technical Study Group — could matter, with Vinícius Jr. holding an edge there over the other chasers.

Why This Matters

  • Tournament Legacy: Messi now stands alone as the most prolific scorer in men's World Cup history, a record built across the 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026 tournaments.
  • Golden Boot Implications: A one-goal cushion is razor-thin with the knockout rounds still to come — every match from here adds Golden Boot drama on top of the result itself.
  • Farewell Tournament Narrative: With Messi having signaled this is likely his last World Cup, every goal adds to a storyline that's been building toward this tournament for years.

What's Next

Argentina close out their group campaign before the Round of 32 begins on June 28. WorldCupElite will keep tracking the Golden Boot race, live odds, and Messi's pursuit of a second straight World Cup title on our predictions page and stats & trends dashboard.

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