Lionel Messi will have another chance to make FIFA World Cup history when Argentina face Austria in their second group-stage fixture of the 2026 World Cup in Dallas.
The Argentina captain is currently level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose on 16 goals, the highest tally in tournament history. Messi reached the mark after scoring a remarkable hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria in their opening Group L match.
A goal against Austria would move Lionel Messi ahead of Klose and make him the outright leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history.
Most Goals in FIFA World Cup History
| Rank | Player | Country | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 16* |
| 1 | Miroslav Klose | Germany | 16 |
| 3 | Ronaldo | Brazil | 15 |
| 4 | Kylian Mbappe | France | 14* |
| 4 | Gerd Müller | West Germany | 14 |
| 6 | Just Fontaine | France | 13 |
Argentina, the defending champions, can move closer to topping Group L and securing qualification for the last 32 with a win over Austria.
Austria, led by Ralf Rangnick, also made a strong start to their campaign with a 3-1 win over Jordan in their opening match.
Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister said Messi remains central to the team’s success.
“If anyone thought this group was better off without Leo, today it became clear that Leo is the most important of them all,” Mac Allister said.
Head coach Lionel Scaloni also highlighted the strong bond within the squad and the atmosphere around Messi.
“He’s playing with a group of friends, with people that are going to play with their heart for him,” Scaloni said.
“Whenever they need to have a conversation with him they can just approach him and it’s really hard to explain whatever he conveys. You need to understand the atmosphere and the ambience.”
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