Lionel Messi races to top of all-time World Cup goalscoring charts during Argentina vs Austria, goes past Miroslav Klose

Lionel Messi became the all-time highest goalscorer at the World Cup after the Argentine captain found the back of the net in the first half during their Group F encounter against Austria in Dallas on Monday. Coming into this tournament with 13 World Cup goals, Messi went on level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose at the top with a hattrick against Algeria.

Mind you, it was Messi’s maiden World Cup hattrick in 20 years. needing just a goal to topple Klose, Messi had gotten a chance in the eighth minute when he shot wide on the right after Lautaro Martinez was brought down inside the box. The 38-year-old compensated with a strike on 39 minutes.

The moment of magic came into the final third during an Argentine counter-attack. Hugo Almada got the ball, who found Facundo Medina on the left. The Marseille left-bac crossed to the centre for Messi, who beat Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager with a stunning strike.

Earlier, Messi’s left-footed kick went just wide of the right post. This was his third penalty miss in a World Cup match, the most by any footballer in the world. Martinez was running free in the box when he was tackled from behind by Xaver Schlager and Stefan Posch, the defender playing with a broken jaw. Schalger got a foot on the ball, but Posch drew the penalty because he did not touch the ball as Martinez tumbled to the ground.

Play continued for more than a minute with Martinez still on the ground near the goal. When play was stopped for him, officials went to review the play. Messi’s hattrick in the pervious game, in his 200th game, came 20 years to the date of his World Cup debut, when he also scored.

He is playing in sixth World Cup, and Monday was his FIFA-record 28th match in the tournament. Klose played in 24 World Cup matches for Germany, which wrapped up his fourth tournament by winning the 2014 final 1-0 in extra time over Messi and Argentina.

Meanwhile, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni made one change to his starting lineup from the side that won 3-0 against Algeria in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener for the meeting with Austria in Dallas with Nahuel Molina replacing Gonzalo Montiel.

Argentina vs Austria starting lineups

Austria: Alexander Schlager; Kevin Danso, Stefan Posch, David Alaba; Nicolas Seiwald, Xaver Schlager; Romano Schmid, Konrad Laimer, Marcel Sabitzer, Paul Wanner; Michael Gregoritsch

Argentina: Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Facundo Medina; Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister; Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Thiago Almada.