Lionel Messi Becomes 2nd Player In The World To Score 4+ Goals In 3 FIFA World Cup Editions

Last Updated:June 23, 2026, 01:04 IST

Lionel Messi is only the second footballer after Germany's Miroslav Klose to score at least four goals in three different FIFA World Cup editions.

After scoring a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina’s opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest footballer of all time, scored twice in Argentina’s second Group J match against Austria on Monday (June 22).

In the fixture played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, the 38-year-old opened the scoring in the 39th minute and added his second goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time after the end of regulation time.

Messi’s opening goal helped him surpass former Germany striker Miroslav Klose’s tally of 16 goals and become the highest goal-scorer in FIFA World Cup history. He then extended his record tally to 18 goals before the final whistle.

The first goal against Austria also took Messi’s tally to four goals in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, making him only the second footballer after Klose to score at least four goals in three different FIFA World Cup editions.

Messi, who made his FIFA World Cup debut in 2006 and scored against Serbia and Montenegro on June 16, 2006, netted four goals in the 2014 edition and seven in 2022. He now has five goals to his name in the ongoing tournament.

Klose, meanwhile, scored five goals each in the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups, four in the 2010 edition and two in the 2014 tournament, which Germany won by defeating Argentina in the final at Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Maracanã Stadium.

Messi’s opening goal against Austria also helped him become only the third footballer in FIFA World Cup history to score in six consecutive matches.

He matched the feat first achieved by France’s Just Fontaine in 1958 and later equalled by Brazil’s Jairzinho.

About the Author

Harshit BishtSenior Sub-editor

Harshit Bisht is a sports journalist with CNN-News18 since July 1, 2024, and covers cricket with a sharp eye for records, trends, and match analysis. Based in Noida, he has reported extensively on the...Read More

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