(VIDEO) Messi Becomes World Cup's All-Time Top Scorer, Sends Argentina Into Knockout Stage

DALLAS — Lionel Messi became the World Cup's all-time record goalscorer as his double against Austria sent holders Argentina into the last 32. The forward, who turns 39 on Wednesday, got his 17th and 18th goals at tournaments to move two clear of Germany striker Miroslav Klose, whose tally came between 2002 and 2014.

A Missed Penalty Before the Historic Goal

Messi could have broken the record even earlier in the match. After only eight minutes, Argentina were awarded a penalty following Stefan Posch's foul on Lautaro Martínez, with Austria defender Xaver Schlager also making a challenge, but Messi fired the spot-kick wide.

That disappointment soon turned to celebration, though, in another display of his class on a historic night.

The Record-Breaking Goal

Messi's milestone moment came in the 38th minute of the Group J encounter in Dallas, sweeping home a first-time finish from just inside the penalty area after Thiago Almada had cleverly let Facundo Medina's pull-back go through his legs to tee up his teammate.

A Late Insurance Goal

The talismanic frontman's second came in second-half stoppage time as he fired home from a tight angle past two Austrian defenders after Julian Álvarez had been denied by goalkeeper Alexander Schlager.

The Tournament's Leading Scorer

He is now the top scorer in the 2026 competition, with five goals in two matches following a hat-trick in the 3-0 win over Algeria in their opening group game.

A Brief Austrian Threat

Before Messi's second, Austria — managed by former Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick — had a chance to make it 1-1. But Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez pushed away a powerful free-kick from Marcel Sabitzer, who was making his 100th international appearance.

What the Result Means for the Group

Argentina, with six points, now join Mexico, the United States, and Germany in having qualified for the last 32, and they will be confirmed as Group J winners if Jordan do not beat Algeria in the later game on Tuesday at 4 a.m. BST.

Having beaten Jordan in their opener, Austria still remain in contention on three points, keeping their own knockout-stage hopes alive heading into the group's final round of matches.

A Record Decades in the Making

Messi's achievement caps a World Cup goalscoring career that has spanned five tournaments, dating back to his debut as a teenager. His total of 18 goals now stands alone at the top of the all-time list, surpassing a mark that had been set by Klose across four separate World Cups between 2002 and 2014 — a record many had considered one of the more difficult individual milestones in the tournament's history to break, given how rarely players sustain elite goal-scoring form across multiple World Cup cycles spanning more than a decade.

A Night That Started With Frustration

The missed penalty in the eighth minute briefly threatened to overshadow what would become one of the defining nights of Messi's international career. Spot-kicks have not always been a guaranteed source of goals for the Argentine captain throughout his career, and the early miss against Austria offered a reminder of that, even as he quickly put the disappointment behind him to deliver the moment Argentina and football fans worldwide had been anticipating.

Argentina's Path Forward

With qualification for the knockout stage now secured, Argentina turns its attention to the standings within Group J, where their fate atop the table now hinges on the result of Jordan's match against Algeria. A result favoring Argentina in that fixture would confirm the defending champions as group winners, while any other outcome would require further clarification of the group's final standings before the knockout bracket is set.

With Messi's record-breaking performance now etched into World Cup history, attention turns to how Argentina's path through the knockout rounds unfolds, and whether the soon-to-be 39-year-old can add to his historic tally as the tournament progresses. For Austria, Tuesday's result leaves their own campaign still alive on three points, setting up a must-win scenario in their remaining group fixture if they hope to advance to the knockout stage themselves. Both nations now turn their attention to the final round of group matches, with Argentina's status as Group J winners still pending the outcome of Jordan's clash with Algeria.