Lionel Messi has entered the 2026 World Cup on a run that may settle one of football's loudest arguments. Argentina beat Austria 2-0 at Dallas Cowboys Stadium, with Messi scoring both goals to become the tournament's all time top scorer at 18 and extend a stretch of form that arrives just two days before his 39th birthday.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has again pointed to how little conventional explanation fits Messi right now.
Messi just defies explanation.
Messi's first strike broke the World Cup scoring record with a first time finish for his 17th goal. His second came after a first touch and a long run to seal the win. The crowd reaction reportedly carried the feel of a home Buenos Aires atmosphere, with many fans having traveled to see him at this stage of his career.
Messi now holds the records for most World Cup appearances and most World Cup goals. After two matches in the United States, he has already matched the five goal totals Miroslav Klose posted in 2006 and Thomas Muller posted in 2010 on the way to golden boot honors. Argentina still has a group game against Jordan ahead, and Messi could push toward eight goals through the group stage while chasing a third golden ball, a first golden boot, and possibly a second winners medal.
The source frames this stretch against the long running Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo debate as one that was always absurd, with Messi now standing alone on multiple World Cup measures while Ronaldo, at 41, appears to be straining through basics Messi still executes with ease. Messi's World Cup legacy may now be moving past what he built at Barcelona and into conversation with Diego Maradona and Pele, though fans will still weigh how far this tournament run can still go.
