© 2026
NPR News, Colorado Stories
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Magnificent Messi makes history, breaks all-time World Cup scoring record

Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 group match against Austria in Arlington, Texas, on Monday. The goal, his 17th at a World Cup, broke the all-time scoring record for a man. And then he scored a second time.
Charlotte Wilson
/
Getty Images
Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 group match against Austria in Arlington, Texas, on Monday. The goal, his 17th at a World Cup, broke the all-time scoring record for a man. And then he scored a second time.

Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi has broken the record for most World Cup scoring.

Messi made the record goal, his 17th, during the first half of Monday's game against Austria. And then, in the second half, near the end of the match in stoppage time, Messi scored yet another goal, finishing off at 2-0.

Messi, the team captain, started off the World Cup with a bang: in the team's opening game against Algeria, he scored a hat trick: three goals. A rare feat in soccer. He has scored all five goals for Argentina this World Cup. With the win, Argentina advances to the knockout round.

Messi also surpassed Brazilian superstar Marta, who had scored 17 goals at the Women's World Cup.

Copyright 2026 NPR

Jasmine Garsd is an Argentine-American journalist living in New York. She is currently NPR's Criminal Justice correspondent and the host of The Last Cup. She started her career as the co-host of Alt.Latino, an NPR show about Latin music. Throughout her reporting career she's focused extensively on women's issues and immigrant communities in America. She's currently writing a book of stories about women she's met throughout her travels.