Messi entered the match with history already in reach. After a hat trick in Argentina's World Cup opener last week, he stood tied with Germany's Miroslav Klose for the all time men's goal scoring lead with 16 goals. Both players still trailed Brazil's Marta, who scored 17 goals across six women's World Cups.
How Messi Broke Both Records Against Austria
The night did not start cleanly for Messi. He fired a penalty kick wide right in the ninth minute against Austria. Roughly a half hour later, he received a pass from the left as he ran into the box and fired a low shot past goalkeeper Alexander Schlager. That goal moved Messi past Klose's men's record, which had stood since 2014.
Messi added the record that passed Marta in the 95th minute. When the ball bounced around in the box, he had an attempt blocked, corralled the rebound, and shot through several bodies to find the back of the net. Marta's mark had been on the books since 2019.
Argentina's 2026 World Cup Run So Far
Messi has scored all five of Argentina's goals through the team's first two matches at the 2026 World Cup. Argentina is seeking to defend its World Cup title, and Messi appears likely to keep scoring as the tournament continues. France's Kylian Mbappe may also push the scoring race as the competition moves forward.
Against Austria on June 22, those were the goals that broke both records. Messi moved from a tie with Klose at 16 into sole possession of the men's mark at 17, then passed Marta at 18 to stand alone as the World Cup's all time leading scorer across men's and women's competition.
