While the missed penalty was an unwanted record, the scoring milestone once again highlighted the extraordinary longevity and consistency of the Argentine star
Lionel Messi added two more records to his remarkable World Cup career on Monday in Argentina’s second group game against Austria.
The Argentina captain first became the player with the most missed penalties in FIFA World Cup history after failing to convert from the spot during Argentina’s latest outing at the 2026 tournament.
The miss was Messi’s third unsuccessful penalty at the World Cup, moving him ahead of several players who had previously shared the record.
However, the 39-year-old responded in typical fashion by scoring later in the match to become the outright leading scorer in the history of the FIFA Men’s World Cup.
The goal moved Messi past Germany legend Miroslav Klose and took his tally to 17 World Cup goals, the highest by any player in the competition’s history.
While the missed penalty was an unwanted record, the scoring milestone once again highlighted the extraordinary longevity and consistency of the Argentine star.
Messi made his World Cup debut in Germany in 2006 at 18 and scored his first tournament goal against Serbia and Montenegro. Two decades later, he remains the face of Argentina’s national team and one of the biggest attractions at the 2026 World Cup.
Earlier in the tournament, Messi became the first men’s player to appear in six different World Cups. He also became the oldest player to score two goals in a World Cup match, breaking the record previously held by Cameroon legend Roger Milla.
His latest goal moved him ahead of Klose’s tally of 16 goals. Brazil’s great Ronaldo Nazário remains third on the list with 15 goals, while Germany’s Gerd Müller and France captain Kylian Mbappé have 14 goals each.
Messi, who finally lifted the World Cup trophy with Argentina in Qatar in 2022, has already won eight Ballon d’Or awards and multiple major honours during his career.
At an age when most players have retired from international football, Messi continues to rewrite the record books.
And while one record on Monday was one he would rather avoid, the other once again reminded the football world why many regard him as the greatest player of his generation.
